Nonstop flight route between Rockford, Illinois, United States and Blackwater, Queensland, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from RFD to BLT:
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- About this route
- RFD Airport Information
- BLT Airport Information
- Facts about RFD
- Facts about BLT
- Map of Nearest Airports to RFD
- List of Nearest Airports to RFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from RFD
- List of Furthest Airports from RFD
- Map of Nearest Airports to BLT
- List of Nearest Airports to BLT
- Map of Furthest Airports from BLT
- List of Furthest Airports from BLT
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), Rockford, Illinois, United States and Blackwater Airport (BLT), Blackwater, Queensland, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,915 miles (or 14,347 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 large distance between Chicago Rockford International Airport and Blackwater Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Chicago Rockford International Airport and Blackwater Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BLT / YBTR |
Airport Name: | Blackwater Airport |
Location: | Blackwater, Queensland, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 23°36'11"S by 148°48'24"E |
Operator/Owner: | BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 657 feet (200 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BLT |
More Information: | BLT Maps & Info |
Facts about Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD):
- In an effort to capitalize on the airport's location from downtown Chicago and about 30 miles from the outermost Chicago suburbs), its name was changed to the Northwest Chicagoland Regional Airport at Rockford in the early 2000s.
- 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.
- 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 has two cargo aprons in use.
- 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.
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has 2 runways.
- RFD was once the company headquarters for Ryan International Airlines, staging many of its aircraft at the airport for charter hire.
Facts about Blackwater Airport (BLT):
- The closest airport to Blackwater Airport (BLT) is Emerald Airport (EMD), which is located 40 miles (64 kilometers) W of BLT.
- Because of Blackwater Airport's relatively low elevation of 657 feet, planes can take off or land at Blackwater 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 Blackwater Airport (BLT) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,844 miles (19,061 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
- Blackwater Airport (BLT) currently has only 1 runway.