Nonstop flight route between Phoenix, Arizona, United States and Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), Phoenix, Arizona, United States and Arutua Airport (AXR), Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,070 miles (or 6,551 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport and Arutua 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport and Arutua 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 Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA):

• In a press release on September 17, 2007, the Williams Gateway Airport Authority governing board approved a name change for Williams Gateway Airport effective October 15, 2007 to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport.
• The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011 called Phoenix–Mesa Gateway a reliever airport, which is a general aviation airport used to relieve congestion at a large airline airport.Allegiant Air began scheduled service from Mesa in October 2007.Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport records say the airport had 1,377,205 passenger boardings in calendar year 2012, a 44% increase over 2011.
• As the base was being shut down, it was decided that, with the growing traffic at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, an alternative airport would be needed.
• The furthest airport from Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,452 miles (18,429 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Phase four will complete the 2030 plan, allowing IWA able to handle 10 million enplanements annually with a total of 60 gates and 21,000 vehicle parking spaces.
• In addition to being known as "Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport", another name for AZA is "IWA".
• In recent years, the airport has again become a center of flight training.
• A six-member airport Board of Directors is composed of elected officials from neighboring cities and a tribal government.
• The closest airport to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) is Falcon Field (MSC), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) NNW of AZA.
• In response to the expansion issues, PMGAA has begun planning for a new east terminal.
• Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, formerly Williams Gateway Airport and Williams Air Force Base, is in the southeastern area of Mesa, Arizona, and 20 miles southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona.
• On July 31, 2007 the low-cost Las Vegas-based carrier Allegiant Air announced plans to open a focus city at Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, connecting the Phoenix area to 13 cities.
• Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) has 3 runways.

Facts about Arutua Airport (AXR):

• The furthest airport from Arutua Airport (AXR) is Khartoum International Airport (KRT), which is nearly antipodal to Arutua Airport (meaning Arutua Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Khartoum International Airport), and is located 12,377 miles (19,919 kilometers) away in Khartoum, Sudan.
• The closest airport to Arutua Airport (AXR) is Apataki Airport (APK), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) SSE of AXR.