49th Annual All-Women Race to Start and End in Illinois

With the buzz of the 2025 competition settling down, the Air Race Classic (ARC) is ready to re-stir the pot by unveiling its 2026 route. The all-women’s cross-country will center around Illinois, taking pilots on a southern loop through 10 stops.

The race is set to take place from June 23 to 26, 2026, kicking off in East Alton, Illinois, and winding through eight additional stops before finishing in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Each leg of the race requires precise flight planning and teamwork under VFR conditions, often facing a wide variety of weather and terrain.

The full path is East Alton (KALN) in Illinois, Frankfort (KFFT) in Kentucky, Spartanburg (KSPA) in South Carolina, Douglas (KDQH) in Georgia, Tanner (KDCU) in Alabama, McComb (KMCB) in Mississippi, Russellville (KRUE) in Arkansas, Atchison (K59) in Kansas, Prairie du Chien (KPDC) in Wisconsin, and Mount Vernon (KMVN) in Illinois.

Organizers say the 2026 race will spotlight Illinois’s aviation history while providing a varied and challenging course for competitors. The event is open to women pilots holding at least a private pilot certificate and 100 hours of pilot-in-command time. Teams fly normally aspirated, stock general aviation aircraft and are judged not on speed but on how closely their actual flight times match their handicap speeds.

The Air Race Classic traces its roots to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, which included pioneering aviators like Amelia Earhart. The event evolved through decades of changes, including the Powder Puff Derby, before becoming the ARC in 1977. Today, the race is a home for competitive aviation with a side of mentorship, education, and celebration of women in the cockpit.

This year’s event concluded in Spokane, Washington, after a 2,426-mile course from Fairhope, Alabama. Nearly 50 teams competed, including top finishers “Skybound Scotts” in the Competition Class and “Frozen Force” from the University of North Dakota in the Intercollegiate Class. Now, with the 50th anniversary fast approaching, ARC leadership is preparing for even greater participation.

"This isn't just a race; it's a celebration of women's prowess in the skies and a testament to the indomitable spirit of aviation,” expressed Donna Harris, President of the Air Race Classic.

FMI: www.airraceclassic.org