Nonstop flight route between Atlanta, Georgia, United States and Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, Georgia, United States and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,477 miles (or 7,204 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 Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component, 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 Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component. 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 Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL):

• The airport today employs about 55,300 airline, ground transportation, concessionaire, security, federal government, City of Atlanta and Airport tenant employees and is the largest employment center in the U.S.
• Along with the construction of the fifth runway, a new control tower was built to see the entire length of the runway.
• Atlanta says ATL was the busiest airport in the country with more than two million passengers passing through in 1957 and, between noon and 2 p.m.
• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has 5 runways.
• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport has a terminal and concourse space totaling 6,800,000-square-foot.
• Atlanta City Council voted on October 20, 2003 to change the name from Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport to the current Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, in honor of former mayor Maynard Jackson, who died on June 23, 2003.
• The closest airport to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is Morris Army Airfield (Fort Gillem) (FOP), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) E of ATL.
• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport handled 95,462,867 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,317 miles (18,213 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport is a focus city for Southwest Airlines and is the primary hub of Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection partner ExpressJet.

Facts about NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE):

• E-3A Component flying operations began in February 1982 after delivery of the first E­3A aircraft.
• The E-3A Component directly employs more than 3,000 personnel at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen and therefore has a significant economic impact in the surrounding communities.
• In January 1980 the first E-3A Component personnel started arriving at the base, and in October 1980 the NATO Defence Planning Committee granted the E-3A Component the status of a NATO International Military Headquarters.
• The furthest airport from NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,929 miles (19,198 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Surrounded by farmland and a natural woodland reserve, the base was originally built by the Royal Air Force after World War II and operated as RAF Geilenkirchen from 1953 onwards.
• The closest airport to NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) is Merzbrück Airfield (AAH), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SSE of GKE.
• Because of NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component's relatively low elevation of 296 feet, planes can take off or land at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component 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.
• NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) currently has only 1 runway.
• The E-3A Component is NATO's first­ operational flying unit with multinational manning.