Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Rockford, Illinois, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MSL to RFD:
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- RFD Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about RFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSL
- List of Nearest Airports to MSL
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSL
- List of Furthest Airports from MSL
- Map of Nearest Airports to RFD
- List of Nearest Airports to RFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from RFD
- List of Furthest Airports from RFD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), Rockford, Illinois, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 521 miles (or 838 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Chicago Rockford International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSL / KMSL |
Airport Name: | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport |
Location: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W |
Area Served: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | Colbert & Lauderdale Counties |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 551 feet (168 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from MSL |
More Information: | MSL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RFD / KRFD |
Airport Name: | Chicago Rockford International Airport |
Location: | Rockford, Illinois, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 42°11'43"N by 89°5'49"W |
Area Served: | Rockford, Illinois |
Operator/Owner: | Greater Rockford Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 742 feet (226 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from RFD |
More Information: | RFD Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Instruction at the school consisted of teaching the cadets to fly in formation, fly by instruments or by aerial navigation, fly at night, and fly for long distances.
- The closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
- Historically, Muscle Shoals was served by Southern Airways which operated Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jetliners on nonstop and direct flights to Atlanta.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport covers an area of 640 acres at an elevation of 551 feet above mean sea level.
- Because of Northwest Alabama Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 551 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Alabama Regional Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- The furthest airport from Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,932 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD):
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has 2 runways.
- The current terminal was built in 1987 in an effort to expand airline service in Rockford, but the common use of bus service to O'Hare International Airport kept most airlines away from Rockford.
- After an 11-year hiatus, the airport resumed hosting airshows in 2005.
- The closest airport to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (JVL), which is located 30 miles (47 kilometers) N of RFD.
- RFD traces its history back to 1917, when Camp Grant was established during World War I as an U.S.
- Because of Chicago Rockford International Airport's relatively low elevation of 742 feet, planes can take off or land at Chicago Rockford International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- Today the Rockford airport is marketed to residents of Rockford and surrounding areas as an alternative to Chicago Midway International Airport and O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI and Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin as well as limited service airports such as Dubuque Regional Airport in Iowa.
- The furthest airport from Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,008 miles (17,716 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Located in between the two runways, the smaller south cargo apron is home to one of the two FBOs at the airport.