Airports / Illinois / DEC
Decatur Airport.
Decatur, Illinois · 682 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.4/5
Google rating
138 ratings
0
Operators based
682
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
FBOs on field
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
30 nm
To the nearest alternate
University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Decatur Airport (KDEC / DEC) sits in Decatur, Illinois, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. Field elevation is 682 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list DEC as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI, 30 nm), Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI, 37 nm), and Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal (BMI, 39 nm). The field has 3 runways, the longest 8,496-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from DEC are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from DEC to plan your flight.
1 FBO serves KDEC. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Gaitros Aviation
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Mon-Fri 0500-2100, Sat 0500-1900, Sun 0700-1900; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas
- Unicom 122.95
- Executive lounge
- Customs
- Conference room
- Wi-Fi
- Vending
- Courtesy car
- Shuttle
- Car rental
- +19 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
Field capability
ICAO
KDEC
IATA
DEC
FAA / Local
DEC
Elevation
682 ft
Coordinates
39.8346° N · 88.8657° 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 682 ft, DEC sits higher than 67% of the 51 Illinois fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
3 runways
longest 8,496 ft
- 06/248,496 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
- 12/306,799 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
- 18/365,298 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,496 ft
DEC's 8,496 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.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 30nmCMIUniversity of Illinois Willard AirportSavoy
- 37nmSPIAbraham Lincoln Capital AirportSpringfield
- 39nmBMICentral Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-NormalBloomington/Normal
- 63nmPIAGeneral Wayne A. Downing Peoria International AirportPeoria
- 76nmHUFTerre Haute Regional Airport, Hulman FieldTerre Haute
- 79nmALNSt Louis Regional AirportAlton/St Louis
Location
Open the full mapKDEC · Decatur Airport · Decatur, IL
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from DEC on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago (ORD) | 136 nm | 43m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 246 nm | 58m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 532 nm | 1h 38m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 570 nm | 1h 44m |
| New York (TEB) | 679 nm | 1h 59m |
| Houston (HOU) | 688 nm | 2h 0m |
| Austin (AUS) | 722 nm | 2h 5m |
| Denver (DEN) | 728 nm | 2h 6m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use DEC?
- Decatur Airport's longest paved runway is 8,496 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 DEC?
- Decatur Airport has 3 runways; the longest measures 8,496 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Decatur Airport?
- One FBO serves DEC: Gaitros Aviation. 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 DEC?
- The closest alternate is University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI), about 30 nm away, followed by Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) at 37 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from DEC to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Nashville about 58m (246 nm), Washington DC about 1h 38m (532 nm), Dallas about 1h 44m (570 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.