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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Adelaide International Airport

Adelaide, South Australia (Australia)

IATA: ADL ICAO: YPAD

Longest Active Runway

10,171 ft

3,100 meters

Field Elevation

20 ft

6 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

-34.9475°, 138.5334°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#522 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#846 of 7558

Top 11.2% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Australia)

#7 in AU

#9 of 537 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+1.7%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Adelaide International Airport's longest active runway measures 10,171 ft (3,100 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #522. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #846 worldwide (Top 11.2%) and #7 nationally in Australia.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Adelaide International Airport (ADL)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Adelaide Airport is celebrated for its compact, passenger-friendly single-terminal design. Its primary runway 05/23 extends 10,171 ft, accommodating widebody flights connecting South Australia directly with Singapore, Doha, and Auckland. Positioned just 20 ft above sea level on coastal plains, ADL provides reliable sea-level aerodynamic performance, backed by a secondary crosswind runway for localized southerly gales.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Primary Runway 05/23 (10,171 ft / 3,100 m) and crosswind Runway 12/30 (5,420 ft / 1,652 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1955 at West Beach replacing Parafield as Adelaide's primary civil airport. Rebuilt in 2005 with a landmark integrated domestic/international terminal, expanding further in 2021.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Capital gateway of South Australia, situated 340 NM northwest of Melbourne (MEL) across the Great Australian Bight.

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Enforces a strict mandatory noise curfew between 23:00 and 06:00 due to its close proximity to residential western suburbs just 4 miles from the city center.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) · Airservices Australia Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP DAP)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4D / 4E Heavy Intercontinental

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Adelaide International Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 20 ft (6 m MSL) in Adelaide. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Capital gateway of South Australia, situated 340 NM northwest of Melbourne (MEL) across the Great Australian Bight. The facility operates as an isolated regional aviation anchor with no other major paved commercial aerodromes within 100 NM.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 10,171 ft (3,100 m)

Adelaide International Airport's active flight strips comprise 05/23 (10,171 ft), 12/30 (5,420 ft). With a longest active threshold of 10,171 ft (3,100 m), the primary runway accommodates transcontinental twin-engine widebodies and long-range narrowbody airliners at standard operational weights.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
05/23	10,171 ft (3100m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
12/30	5,420 ft (1652m)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/adl.json ↗