Willard Airport at the University of Illinois says it's a viable option for flyers from Greater Lafayette who already drive an hour to Indy or two to Chicago.(Photo: Willard Airport)
Three airports — one rapidly growing, one trying to land carriers, one not yet built — may dramatically shake up how you catch a flight in the future.
Each airport is a 90-minute drive from Greater Lafayette. They will compete for flyers already accustomed to driving an hour to Indianapolis or two to Chicago to get out of town.
Lafayette is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country lacking commercial air service. Purdue University Airport says it can't attract carriers because local flyers are served by Indianapolis International Airport.
But data from Indy's airport suggest airlines are leaving money on the table by adopting that view.
"We anticipate only about 1 percent of IND passengers per year drive from Lafayette and Illinois to use our airport," spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland said.
With Lafayette's economy booming, and its population soaring, that's created an opening for three potential alternatives:
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