4/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“The TSA is very efficient and consistent.”
FA Mel Z (Z Goddess)5★ on Google
Airports / Illinois / BMI
Medium airport · BMI
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal.
Bloomington/Normal, Illinois · 871 ft elevation. 1 charter operator based here.
4.4/5
Google rating
649 ratings
1
Operators based
871
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Bloomington/Normal, IllinoisELEV 871 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.4
Google rating
649
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
Based operators
charter operators on the field
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
871
Field elevation
feet above sea level
Field standing
37 nm
To the nearest alternate
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (KBMI / BMI) sits in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. The airport sits 871 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
The airport anchors local charter capacity, Synergy Flight Center, LLC is based here. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA, 37 nm), Decatur Airport (DEC, 39 nm), and University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI, 39 nm). With 2 runways, the longest 8,000-foot paved runway, BMI can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from BMI depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Bloomington/Normal.
1 FBO serves KBMI. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Synergy Flight Center
Your FBO? Claim it, freeSynergy Flight Center is a modern central Illinois FBO located in Bloomington, Illinois next to Central Illinois Regional Airport. Located on Route 9, with easy access to major corporations, universities, non-profits, and a multitude of successful locally-owned establishments, you’ll find the heart of Illinois both bustling and welcoming.
- Fuel
- Hangar
- Mon-Fri 07:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 08:00-17:00 (ramp open until 22:00)
- Unicom 129.100
- Executive lounge
- Conference room
- Cafe
- Hotel help
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Fuel
- Catering
- +1 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“The working staff are pleasant and provide good customer service.”
FA Mel Z (Z Goddess)5★ on Google
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“The airport has a very open and clean inviting atmosphere.”
FA Mel Z (Z Goddess)5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KBMI
IATA
BMI
FAA / Local
BMI
Elevation
871 ft
Coordinates
40.4771° N · 88.9159° W
Airspace
D · DeltaClass D, DeltaA control tower runs the immediate airspace. Pilots establish two-way radio contact before entering, typical for busy business-aviation fields.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs IL fields
state range 321–871 ft
At 871 ft, BMI sits higher than 98% of the 51 Illinois fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 8,000 ft
- 02/208,000 ft × 150 ftConcreteLighted
- 11/296,525 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,000 ft
BMI's 8,000 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators1
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 37nmPIAGeneral Wayne A. Downing Peoria International AirportPeoria
- 39nmDECDecatur AirportDecatur
- 39nmCMIUniversity of Illinois Willard AirportSavoy
- 52nmSPIAbraham Lincoln Capital AirportSpringfield
- 60nmIKKGreater Kankakee AirportKankakee
- 90nmLAFPurdue University AirportWest Lafayette
Location
Open the full mapKBMI · Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal · Bloomington/Normal, IL
From the ramp
Google Places photography of Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, tap any frame to view full-screen, then cycle with the arrows or your keyboard.
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from BMI on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville (BNA) | 282 nm | 1h 3m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 537 nm | 1h 39m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 596 nm | 1h 47m |
| New York (TEB) | 676 nm | 1h 58m |
| Houston (HOU) | 721 nm | 2h 5m |
| Denver (DEN) | 723 nm | 2h 5m |
| Austin (AUS) | 750 nm | 2h 9m |
| Boston (BED) | 800 nm | 2h 16m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use BMI?
- Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal's longest paved runway is 8,000 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at BMI?
- Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal has 2 runways; the longest measures 8,000 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at BMI?
- Yes. 1 charter operator list Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal as a home base, including Synergy Flight Center, LLC. You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- Which FBOs are at Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal?
- One FBO serves BMI: Synergy Flight Center. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to BMI?
- The closest alternate is General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA), about 37 nm away, followed by Decatur Airport (DEC) at 39 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from BMI to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Nashville about 1h 3m (282 nm), Washington DC about 1h 39m (537 nm), Dallas about 1h 47m (596 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.