Nonstop flight route between Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from APA to SYA:
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- About this route
- APA Airport Information
- SYA Airport Information
- Facts about APA
- Facts about SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to APA
- List of Nearest Airports to APA
- Map of Furthest Airports from APA
- List of Furthest Airports from APA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Centennial Airport (APA), Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,771 miles (or 6,069 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 large distance between Centennial Airport and Eareckson Air Station, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Centennial Airport and Eareckson Air Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | APA / KAPA |
Airport Name: | Centennial Airport |
Location: | Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 39°34'12"N by 104°50'57"W |
Area Served: | Denver, Colorado |
Operator/Owner: | Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 5885 feet (1,794 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from APA |
More Information: | APA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SYA / PASY |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Shemya, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°42'43"N by 174°6'48"E |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 97 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SYA |
More Information: | SYA Maps & Info |
Facts about Centennial Airport (APA):
- Because of Centennial Airport's high elevation of 5,885 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at APA. Combined with a high temperature, this could make APA a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Centennial Airport (APA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,899 miles (17,540 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- In 1985 a new control tower was built.
- Located in Dove Valley, an unincorporated area of Arapahoe County, the airport’s runways extend into Douglas County.
- The closest airport to Centennial Airport (APA) is Denver International Airport (DEN), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) NNE of APA.
- Centennial Airport covers 1,400 acres at an elevation of 5,885 feet.
- Centennial Airport (APA) has 3 runways.
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
- The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
- With the successful completion of the Aleutian Campaign in August 1943, Eleventh Air Force came within striking distance of the Japanese Kurile Islands, the northernmost being 750 miles to the south-southwest of Shemya.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
- Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
- In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.