Nonstop flight route between Rockford, Illinois, United States and Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from RFD to SMD:
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- About this route
- RFD Airport Information
- SMD Airport Information
- Facts about RFD
- Facts about SMD
- 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 SMD
- List of Nearest Airports to SMD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMD
- List of Furthest Airports from SMD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), Rockford, Illinois, United States and Smith Field (SMD), Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 216 miles (or 348 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 Chicago Rockford International Airport and Smith Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | SMD / KSMD |
Airport Name: | Smith Field |
Location: | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°8'35"N by 85°9'10"W |
Area Served: | Fort Wayne, Indiana |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 835 feet (255 meters) |
# of Runways: | 4 |
View all routes: | Routes from SMD |
More Information: | SMD Maps & Info |
Facts about Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD):
- Air shows have played an integral role in the history of the Rockford Airport.
- 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.
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has 2 runways.
- 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 airport is in a foreign-trade zone.
- 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.
- 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.
- Several airlines have previously served the airport including United Express, Hooters Air, Frontier, Midwest Connect, Midway Connection, Trans Meridian, American Eagle, TWA, Ozark, McClain, Direct Air, Northwest Airlink, etc.
- 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.
Facts about Smith Field (SMD):
- Because of Smith Field's relatively low elevation of 835 feet, planes can take off or land at Smith Field 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.
- Federal New Deal employment programs of the Great Depression further upgraded the airfield.
- Smith Field is Fort Wayne's first municipal airport and is one of America's oldest surviving aviation sites.
- The closest airport to Smith Field (SMD) is Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) S of SMD.
- The old Baer Field, now renamed Smith Field, would remain Fort Wayne’s civil airport through World War II, and has since served general aviation.
- The furthest airport from Smith Field (SMD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,224 miles (18,064 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Smith Field (SMD) has 4 runways.