Calgary International Airport - Runways

Runways

Current Runways

• Runway 16/34 is 12,675 ft × 200 ft (3,863 m × 61 m)
• Runway 10/28 is 8,000 ft × 200 ft (2,400 m × 61 m)
• Runway 07/25 is 6,200 ft × 200 ft (1,900 m × 61 m)

Decommissioned Runways

• Runway 02/20 was 4,350 ft × 150 ft (1,330 m × 46 m)
• Runway 11/29 was 4,635 ft × 150 ft (1,413 m × 46 m)

A new runway currently under construction will be called 16L/34R when operational in 2014. It will be 14,000 ft × 200 ft (4,300 m × 61 m), which according to the airport's website will be the longest runway in Canada. A tunnel running underneath the new runway will connect Airport Trail with Metis Trail NE. Barlow Trail closed on April 3, 2011.

The long runway length can be attributed to the relatively high elevation, 3,557 ft (1,084 m), of the airport and the need to support the largest passenger aircraft types. Aircraft require more distance to take off at higher elevations, because of the reduced air density associated with altitude.

In addition to the current runways in operation the airport has had two runways decommissioned over the years Runway 02/20 was closed and part of it is still open as a taxiway V and 11/29 was decommissioned and ran where Palmer Road is now situated. The remnants of the runways and associated taxi ways are in various states of decay but can still be seen at the airport. 07/25 served as the main east west runway until 10/28 was built. The taxiway to 25 was closed when 02/20 was decommissioned meaning aircraft had to backtrack the length of the runway.

Two runways were upgraded Runway 16/34 was extended from its original length of 6,410 to 12,675 feet and both 07/25 and 16/34 were widened from 150 to 200 feet to accommodate wider aircraft.