Nonstop flight route between Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa and Bakersfield, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Faleolo International Airport (APW), Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa and Meadows Field (BFL), Bakersfield, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,853 miles (or 7,810 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 Faleolo International Airport and Meadows Field, 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 Faleolo International Airport and Meadows Field. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Faleolo International Airport (APW):

• Because of Faleolo International Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Faleolo International Airport 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.
• The closest airport to Faleolo International Airport (APW) is Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) WNW of APW.
• The furthest airport from Faleolo International Airport (APW) is Maradi Airport (MFQ), which is nearly antipodal to Faleolo International Airport (meaning Faleolo International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maradi Airport), and is located 12,373 miles (19,913 kilometers) away in Maradi, Niger.
• Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737.
• Faleolo International Airport (APW) currently has only 1 runway.
• Faleolo Tower has some jurisdiction over the airspace of American Samoa and Tonga as well as its own airspace.

Facts about Meadows Field (BFL):

• In September 1939 war broke out in Europe, prompting Congress to appropriate $40 million for Development of Landing Areas for National Defense.
• Because of Meadows Field's relatively low elevation of 510 feet, planes can take off or land at Meadows 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.
• Kern County Air Terminal has three open air gates, and is currently closed.
• Service was expensive compared to nearby airports, and normally ran during inconvenient times.
• United Airlines served Meadows Field from 1946 until 1979–80 and again for three years starting around 1984.
• With the end of the war, the base was declared excess to requirements and returned to civil control.
• In addition to being known as "Meadows Field", another name for BFL is "Kern County Airport No. 1".
• Initial response was favorable.
• Meadows Field (BFL) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Meadows Field (BFL) is Shafter Airport (MIT), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) WNW of BFL.
• In December 1944 the 481st NFOTG was inactivated as part of an AAF reorganization.
• The furthest airport from Meadows Field (BFL) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,406 miles (18,356 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• Kern County has planned several improvements to the airport over the next 20 years, all of which are based on future demand.
• In the early 2000s, the county started an initiative to address the problems in air service.