Nonstop flight route between Bossier City, Louisiana, United States and Baghdad, Iraq:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Barksdale Air Force Base (BAD), Bossier City, Louisiana, United States and Baghdad International Airport (BGW), Baghdad, Iraq would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,131 miles (or 11,476 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 Barksdale Air Force Base and Baghdad 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 Barksdale Air Force Base and Baghdad 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 Barksdale Air Force Base (BAD):

• The base is closed to the public.
• The furthest airport from Barksdale Air Force Base (BAD) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,884 miles (17,516 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The site was selected 5 December 1928, as the location of the airfield.
• The closest airport to Barksdale Air Force Base (BAD) is Shreveport Downtown Airport (DTN), which is located only 5 miles (9 kilometers) WNW of BAD.
• In the postwar year of the 1940s, Barksdale then became headquarters for the Air Training Command from 1945 to 1949.
• In addition to being known as "Barksdale Air Force Base", another name for BAD is "Barksdale AFB".
• The commander of the 2d Bomb Wing is Colonel Andrew Gebara.
• Barksdale Field was renamed Barksdale Air Force Base on 13 January 1948, with the designation of the United States Air Force as a separate service in 1947.
• Captain Harris selected what he felt was an adequate location for a military airfield.
• When the Korean War broke out in 1950, a three-plane detachment from the wing flew to Johnson Air Base, Japan to provide the Far East Air Forces commander improved reconnaissance capability.
• Construction of Barksdale Field began in 1931, when hangars, runways, and billets were built.

Facts about Baghdad International Airport (BGW):

• Civilian control of the airport was returned to the Iraqi Government in 2004.
• The furthest airport from Baghdad International Airport (BGW) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,732 miles (18,880 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Baghdad International Airport (BGW) has 2 runways.
• Because of Baghdad International Airport's relatively low elevation of 114 feet, planes can take off or land at Baghdad 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.
• Baghdad International Airport, is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about 16 km west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate.
• In addition to being known as "Baghdad International Airport", other names for BGW include "مطار بغداد الدولي", "Matar Baġdād ad-Dowaly" and "ORBI".
• On 18 May 2010, plans were unveiled for an expansion of Baghdad International Airport, which will double its capacity to 15 million passengers per year.
• The closest airport to Baghdad International Airport (BGW) is Baghdad International Airport (SDA), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of BGW.
• In April 2003, US-led forces invaded Iraq and changed the airport's name to Baghdad International Airport.