ROCKFORD, Ill. – Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), one of the fastest-growing cargo airports in the world and thriving regional passenger airport, is celebrating its 75th year in 2021. In honor of this distinct milestone, RFD will be giving away 75 airline vouchers through December 2021 and kicking off a social media engagement campaign.
RFD Today
RFD is located 68 miles northwest of Chicago O’Hare International Airport and encompasses over 3,000 acres. State-of-the-art facilities, coupled with runway lengths of 10,000 ft. and 8,200 ft., allow RFD to land any jet aircraft operating in the world today – even under the most adverse conditions.
The Airport is served by Allegiant Air, which offers seven popular nonstop destinations: Orlando/Sanford, FL, Destin, FL, Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL, Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, FL, Sarasota, FL, Las Vegas, NV, and Phoenix/Mesa, AZ. With a draw area of over 11 million people located within 90 minutes of RFD, the airport remains a popular and growing alternative airport for consumers in the region.
RFD also is home to a continually growing air cargo industry and is ranked as the 17th largest airport in the United States for air cargo with more than 2.7 billion pounds (1.2 metric tons) of landed weight in 2020. The Airport is the second largest UPS hub in North America and a base of operations for Amazon Air. In 2019, RFD was named the fastest-growing cargo airport in the world. The airport campus also encompasses an aviation maintenance repair facility capable of servicing next-generation aircraft, as well as an aviation maintenance program that is turning out a well-trained and skilled workforce.
RFD continues to create opportunity for businesses through Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #176. The Greater Rockford Airport Authority (GRAA) is a grantee for FTZ #176 and companies in the region can apply to become a Foreign Trade Zone or subzone. FTZ #176 is one of Northern Illinois’ most valuable assets for companies that engage in international trade. They help to reduce the cost of manufacturing, making domestic manufacturing more cost competitive than overseas production. In essence, they help level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers competing in the global economy.
“The business growth at RFD is good news for the Rockford region,” said Mike Dunn, Executive Director, RFD. “Higher cargo volume means more jobs – a boon for our community during an otherwise tough economy. Additionally, our passenger service brings thousands of people into our community each year who eat at our local restaurants, shop in our stores and spend money at retail establishments.
“By creating a vision for the future, taking well-calculated and thought-out risks, and building strong partnerships and relationships at the local, state and federal level, RFD remains one of the strongest economic drivers in the region,” stated Dunn.
RFD’s History
In 1946 the State of Illinois adopted the Airport Authorities Act and the GRAA was created. Prior to that, the land RFD now occupies was Camp Grant, a U.S. Army facility named in honor of American Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant. Camp Grant was in operation from 1917 to 1946, serving as a training base and a prisoner of war camp during World War I and II.
Since then, RFD has progressively evolved from a general aviation facility to a dynamic commercial service airport. It continues to expand and grow. Recent additions include new cargo facilities, an expanded passenger terminal and ramp expansion for cargo aircraft parking.
Over the past few years more than $215 million has been invested in infrastructure improvements and facilities at RFD aimed at making both passenger and cargo experiences safe, efficient, and hassle-free. A majority of dollars spent on these projects were funded through local, state, and federal grants. The completion of these projects has allowed RFD to be in the position to accommodate the tremendous growth in passenger and cargo services.
Voucher Giveaways/Social Media Campaign
From now through the end of the calendar year, RFD will be celebrating its 75th year by giving away 75 $75 airline vouchers to be used on any flight out of the Airport. All vouchers are good for one year after issue date. Individuals interested in being included in the monthly voucher drawings need to sign up for RFD’s monthly newsletter, MilesAhead, which is a free monthly email that provides updates on special deals, services, and so much more. Additionally, the email can be customized to provide insight on destinations in which individuals are most interested in learning about. Sign up at flyrfd.com/miles-ahead.com.
Additionally, RFD is encouraging individuals who have flown in/out of the Airport, attended events at RFD, and/or have worked on-site to share their photos on Facebook by commenting on its “Share Your Photos” posts or via a direct message. RFD will share select photos (and give photo credit) to its nearly 17,500+ followers. RFD Facebook followers also can check out and comment on its “75 Reasons to Love RFD” campaign.
About Chicago Rockford International Airport
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is a rapidly expanding international air cargo gateway. It is the second largest hub in the United States for UPS, one of the world’s leading express freight integrators, as well as being an important mini hub for Amazon Prime Air. RFD boasts a scheduled freighter network serving destinations in Germany, Belgium, India, China, South Korea, and Japan from international tier one freight forwarders such as DB Schenker, DSV and SENATOR. Air cargo carriers such as MAGMA, Atlas Air, National Air Cargo Airlines and ASL, along with a number of charter air cargo airline operators undertake regular rotations. RFD is served by Allegiant Air, which offers seven nonstop destinations. With a catchment area of over 11 million people located within 90 minutes of RFD, the airport remains a popular and growing alternative airport for consumers in the region. Visit www.flyrfd.com.
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