Nonstop flight route between Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from AFF to MRI:
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- About this route
- AFF Airport Information
- MRI Airport Information
- Facts about AFF
- Facts about MRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to AFF
- List of Nearest Airports to AFF
- Map of Furthest Airports from AFF
- List of Furthest Airports from AFF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MRI
- List of Nearest Airports to MRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from MRI
- List of Furthest Airports from MRI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between United States Air Force Academy (AFF), Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,439 miles (or 3,925 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between United States Air Force Academy and Merrill Field, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | AFF / KAFF |
Airport Name: | United States Air Force Academy |
Location: | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°59'25"N by 104°51'29"W |
View all routes: | Routes from AFF |
More Information: | AFF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MRI / PAMR |
Airport Name: | Merrill Field |
Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W |
Operator/Owner: | Municipality of Anchorage |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 137 feet (42 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from MRI |
More Information: | MRI Maps & Info |
Facts about United States Air Force Academy (AFF):
- Following the recommendation of the Board, Congress passed legislation in 1954 to begin the construction of the Air Force Academy, and President Eisenhower signed it into law on 1 April of that year.
- Prior to the Academy's establishment, air power advocates had been pushing for a separate air force academy for decades.
- The Class of 1959 established many other important traditions that continue until the present.
- The Cadet Area also contains extensive facilities for use by cadets participating in intercollegiate athletics, intramural athletics, physical education classes and other physical training.
- The Vietnam War was the first war in which Academy graduates fought and died.
- The furthest airport from United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,934 miles (17,596 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- In 1984, the Cadet Wing voted to add an "Honor Oath," which was to be taken by all cadets.
- The buildings in the Cadet Area were designed in a distinct, modernist style, and make extensive use of aluminum on building exteriors, suggesting the outer skin of aircraft or spacecraft.
- The campus of the Academy covers 18,500 acres on the east side of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains, just north of Colorado Springs.
- The closest airport to United States Air Force Academy (AFF) is City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) SSE of AFF.
Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):
- Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill Field at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- This was the first official airport in Anchorage when it opened in 1930.
- Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- For 12-month period ending August 5, 2004, the airport had 191,550 aircraft operations, an average of 524 per day, 100% of which were general aviation.
- The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.