Nonstop flight route between Wake Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands and Tripoli, Libya:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Wake Island Airfield (AWK), Wake Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands and Tripoli International Airport (TIP), Tripoli, Libya would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,442 miles (or 13,587 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 Wake Island Airfield and Tripoli International Airport, 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 Wake Island Airfield and Tripoli International Airport. 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 Wake Island Airfield (AWK):

• Japan Airlines used both Wake Island and Honolulu as stops on its initial Tokyo-San Francisco service using Douglas DC-6s in the mid-1950s.
• Between 5 and 29 May 1935, Pan American's air base construction vessel, North Haven, landed supplies and equipment on Wilkes Island for eventual rehandling to Peale Island which, because of its more suitable soil and geology, had been selected as site for the PAA seaplane base.
• The furthest airport from Wake Island Airfield (AWK) is RAF Ascension (ASI), which is located 11,652 miles (18,752 kilometers) away in Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena.
• Because of Wake Island Airfield's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Wake Island Airfield 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.
• Wake Island Airfield (AWK) currently has only 1 runway.
• Wake Island Airfield is a military airport located on Wake Island, which is known for the Battle of Wake Island.
• The closest airport to Wake Island Airfield (AWK) is Quoin Hill Airfield (UIQ), which is located 169 miles (272 kilometers) SE of AWK.
• The first intention to build an air base surfaced in 1935, when Pan American World Airways selected Wake Island as an intermediate support base for their routes to the Far East, especially the Philippines.

Facts about Tripoli International Airport (TIP):

• Tripoli International Airport (TIP) has 2 runways.
• Because of Tripoli International Airport's relatively low elevation of 263 feet, planes can take off or land at Tripoli 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.
• Tripoli International Airport handled 3,070,200 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Tripoli International Airport (TIP) is Rarotonga International Airport (RAR), which is located 11,534 miles (18,563 kilometers) away in Avarua, Cook Islands.
• In September 2007, the Libyan government announced a project to upgrade and expand the airport.
• The closest airport to Tripoli International Airport (TIP) is Mitiga International Airport (MJI), which is located only 18 miles (28 kilometers) NNE of TIP.
• During World War II, the airfield was used by the British Royal Air Force and was named RAF Castel Benito later changing to RAF Idris in 1952.
• In addition to being known as "Tripoli International Airport", another name for TIP is "مطار طرابلس العالمي".
• The airport has one main passenger terminal that serves international and domestic departures and arrivals.