The easiest way to get to Lafayette, West Lafayette, and Purdue University!
The Purdue University Airport (LAF) is now served by daily airline flights, connecting you to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and hundreds of destinations beyond! Skip the long drives and traffic, and instead enjoy a three minute drive from campus, short lines, and great views of town!
| LAF-ORD | 6:05 AM | 10:55 AM | 3:25 PM | 6:55 PM |
| ORD-LAF | 8:20AM | 12:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 7:55 PM |
Southern Airways Express flies to and from LAF with interline agreements with American Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. This means that you can book flights worldwide going to/from the Purdue Airport directly with American, United, Alaska, or Southern.
You can also search for flights to and from the Purdue Airport on websites like Google Flights, Expedia, and Booking.
If you buy a flight to/from LAF directly with American, United, or Alaska Airlines, then your baggage will automatically transfer between Southern Airways and the partner airline- just as if you were flying to any other airport. The same is true if you buy your flight between LAF and your final destination, including the flight on the partner airline, as one reservation with Southern Airways.
Buying the entire itinerary as one ticket also ensures that you're protected in case of delays, cancellations, or misconnects. Read more about how to book these flights in the "What's the best way to book an LAF flight?" FAQ section!
If you decide to buy your LAF-ORD / ORD-LAF flight separate from your connection, then your two tickets won't be linked in any way. In this case, you'd be responsible for claiming checked bags from baggage claim and re-checking them to your connection, and would assume any risk for delays, cancellations, or misconnects.
The Purdue Airport is served by Lafayette's CityBus during Purdue's academic year, and is also accessible by sidewalk. Uber and Lyft are regularly available, and Enterprise offers car rental service at LAF.
Parking at the Purdue Airport costs $5 per day. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, visit Purdue University Airport's official website.
Yes! The Purdue Airport offers TSA Pre-Check, and you'll never experience long lines at security or check-in.
Flights to and from the Purdue Airport vary in price, though they usually follow a pattern. If you buy a ticket just between Purdue (LAF) and Chicago (ORD), fares usually range between $99 and $199. Flights to/from the Purdue Airport are cheapest when booked 2-13 weeks before departure.
| Time Before Flight | 0-7 Days | 1-2 Weeks | 2-13 Weeks | 13-16 Weeks | 16+ Weeks |
| Price | $169 | $139 | $99 | $119 | $139 |
If you're connecting beyond Chicago, we highly reccomend that you book the entire trip as one ticket directly with American, United, or Alaska. When flying from the Purdue Airport, the fares out of LAF begin at $79, plus the cost of the connecting flight on the relevant partner airline. Note that, when booking flights out of LAF with American, United, or Alaska, you'll always be booked into Main Cabin economy or above- Basic Economy tickets aren't offered for connections to LAF.
| Time Before Flight | 0-7 Days | 1-2 Weeks | 2-13 Weeks | 13-16 Weeks | 16+ Weeks |
| Price | $114 | $94 | $79 | $94 | $114 |
Travelers can earn miles on flights booked to/from the Purdue Airport in some cases.
If you book a flight to / from LAF with United or American, then you won't earn any miles for the flight operated by Southern Airways Express, but you will earn miles for the segments operated by UA and AA. Just make sure that you add your frequent flyer number to the reservation!
If you booked your connecting itinerary directly with Southern Airways, then call Southern's customer service and request the Reservation Number for the partner airline. For example, if you booked a flight from LAF to JFK that connects on American Airlines, then ask Southern for the American Airlines Reservation Number. You'll then be able to use that reservation number to pull up the flights on the AA website and app, where you can add your frequent flyer number.
Alaska Airlines allows passengers to earn miles for all flights, including segments on Southern Airways Express. So if you're flying from Seattle to Lafayette, for example, then you'll earn Alaska Airlines miles for both SEA-ORD and ORD-LAF. Additionally, if you're just flying between Lafayette/Purdue and Chicago, you can book that segment with Alaska Airlines to earn Alaska miles.
Purdue Airport flights operated by Southern Airways Express arrive and depart from gate F4 in Terminal 2 at Chicago O'Hare (a United terminal). Southern's ticket counter is on the upper level of Terminal 3. Please see the map below for more information. For further assistance, call Southern’s customer service at 1 (800) 329-0485.
Passenger flights between the Purdue Airport and Chicago can be tracked on websites such as FlightAware and FlightRadar24. The airline code for Southern Airways Express is 9X or FDY. (For example, Southern flight 360 may appear as "9X 360" or "FDY 360")
There are several ways to check in for a Southern Airways flight. The airline's app and Check-In Website offer check-in and digital boarding passes, which can be helpful for going through TSA in large airports. Regardless, all passengers should check in at the Purdue Airport counter or gate F4 in Chicago at least 45 minutes prior to all flights to ensure you receive your boarding pass.
Yes! The Purdue Airport is a public airport, and with the recent addition of airline flights, anyone can easily fly out of of LAF. For private pilots, Purdue Aviation serves as the local FBO.
LAF is the airport code for the Lafayette, Indiana - Purdue University Airport.
If you have questions, feel free to email us at [email protected]. For formal inquiries or messages, please see Purdue's official website about the airport.