Why we fly — every airport matters
Our mission is to fly to every airport in Wisconsin. We’ve mapped an optimized round-trip route starting and ending at Campbell Airport (C81) near Grayslake, Illinois. Using a greedy nearest-neighbor algorithm refined with 2-opt optimization, the route threads through 118 Wisconsin airports in a loop, following the most efficient path, while keeping individual legs short — the longest is just over 61 miles.
2,435 miles · 119 legs · 30 hours of flying.
Wisconsin’s airports range from sleek regional fields to single-strip grass patches barely wider than a county road. The big ones are easy to find — but the small ones? They’re hidden gems. Also, we are skipping the super big ones.
A quiet field outside a lakeside town. A strip tucked behind a dairy farm where the owner waves from the barn. A runway at the edge of the Northwoods where the only sound is wind and pine. These aren’t just airports — they’re doorways into the real Wisconsin.
Wisconsin from the air is a patchwork of green fields, glittering lakes, and deep pine forests. The Driftless Area in the southwest offers dramatic river bluffs and winding valleys that look like something out of a postcard. Up north, the Northwoods stretch endlessly under a canopy of spruce and birch.
Each airport tells a story — a farming community, a resort town, a quiet corner of the state most people never visit by car. That’s the magic of Fly WI: every landing opens a new chapter.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Fly WI Passport Program invites pilots to explore the state one airport at a time. Pick up a passport booklet, land at participating airports, collect a stamp at each one, and work your way through all of Wisconsin’s corners.
It’s part aviation challenge, part road trip, part treasure hunt — and entirely too much fun to do in a single weekend. Learn more at WisDOT Fly WI.