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PAO to CMI: distance & flight time
Palo Alto (Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County) → Champaign (University of Illinois Willard Airport)
1,821 mi
2,931 km · 1,582 nm
4h 2m
estimated nonstop flight time
+2h
time difference · heading east
See live PAO→CMI fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,821 miles nonstop takes roughly 4h 2m gate to gate, flying east. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 2-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- PAO — Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County · Palo Alto, United States
- CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport · Champaign, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near PAO
- SFO · San Francisco International Airport18 mi away
- NUQ · Moffett Federal Airfield5 mi away
- SQL · San Carlos Airport8 mi away
- SJC · Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport12 mi away
Near CMI
Frequently asked questions
How far is PAO from CMI?
The flight distance from Palo Alto (PAO) to Champaign (CMI) is 1,821 miles (2,931 km, 1,582 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from PAO to CMI?
A nonstop flight takes about 4h 2m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from PAO to CMI?
Nonstop service on PAO–CMI depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 4h 2m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Palo Alto and Champaign?
Champaign is 2 hours ahead of Palo Alto.
What is the cheapest way to fly from PAO to CMI?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on PAO–CMI that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some PAO to CMI fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain PAO–CMI tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.