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

Frederick W. Smith International Airport

Compiled by

Memphis, Tennessee (United States)
IATA: MEM ICAO: KMEM
Longest Active Runway
11,120 ft
3,389 meters
Field Elevation
341 ft
104 m MSL
Runway Inventory
4 active
Lighted / Paved
Coordinates & Class
35.0438°, -89.9763°
LARGE AIRPORT
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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →
RunwayFacts Published Dataset
tied #347 of 650
In curated primary commercial index
Global Commercial Universe
#560 of 7558
Top 7.4% percentile worldwide
For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.
National Standing (United States)
#31 of 63 in US
#106 of 2020 in full national registry
vs Large Airport Median
+11.2%
Compared to 10,000 ft baseline
💡 MEM in numbers: 11,120 ft longest runway · tied #347 of 650 published · #560 of 7,558 worldwide (top 7.4%) · #31 in United States.
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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Memphis International Airport is the logistical beating heart of global express freight. Between 22:00 and 04:00, MEM undergoes an intensive nighttime 'sort', where hundreds of heavy freighter aircraft land and depart within minutes of each other on the parallel runway system. While commercial passenger services have rightsized to a modern concourse, the airfield's pavement ratings and high-speed taxiways remain engineered for maximum global cargo reliability.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments
Three parallel north-south runways (18L/36R at 8,946 ft, 18C/36C at 11,120 ft, 18R/36L at 9,320 ft) plus crosswind Runway 09/27 (8,900 ft).
Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities
Opened in 1929 as Memphis Municipal Airport. Transformed in 1973 when Frederick W. Smith relocated Federal Express (FedEx) headquarters here, sparking massive tarmac expansions into the premier air cargo facility in the Western Hemisphere.
Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role
World's second-busiest cargo airport, operating alongside Little Rock (LIT, 116 NM west) and Nashville (BNA, 174 NM east) with night movement volumes exceeding nearly all global passenger hubs.
Data Nuances & Operational Quirks
Center Runway 18C/36C at 11,120 ft is built with specialized 20-inch reinforced concrete to absorb repetitive maximum-weight landings by McDonnell Douglas MD-11F and Boeing 777F freighters.
📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav MEM Master Record ↗
Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft
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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

MEM lies at 104 m (341 ft), #316 of 650 published airports by elevation and 45.2 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 266 ft below the United States median (607 ft, 63 airports); COS is highest at 6,187 ft, 5,846 ft higher than MEM.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

No published neighbour with a paved runway of 5,000 ft or more within 100 NM of MEM. Nearest published airport: Nashville International Airport (BNA), 174 NM, 11,030 ft (90 ft shorter than MEM); 3 within 250 NM.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 11,120 ft (3,389 m)

MEM runways: 18C/36C 11,120 × 150 ft concrete (con); 18R/36L 9,320 × 150 ft concrete (con); 18L/36R 9,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 09/27 8,946 × 150 ft asphalt (asp). National standing: #31 of 63 in United States; DEN leads by 4,880 ft (16,000 ft). +11.2% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator Length (ft / m) Width (ft / m) Surface Material Lighting Status
18C/36C 11,120 ft (3389 m / 3.389 km) 150 ft (46m) Concrete (CON) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active
18R/36L 9,320 ft (2841 m / 2.841 km) 150 ft (46m) Concrete (CON) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active
18L/36R 9,000 ft (2743 m / 2.743 km) 150 ft (46m) Concrete (CON) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active
09/27 8,946 ft (2727 m / 2.727 km) 150 ft (46m) Asphalt (ASP) ✅ Lighted ✅ Active

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →