Nonstop flight route between Barranquilla, Colombia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), Barranquilla, Colombia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,472 miles (or 10,415 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport and Eareckson Air Station, 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport and Eareckson Air Station. 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 Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ):

• Because of Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport's relatively low elevation of 98 feet, planes can take off or land at Ernesto Cortissoz 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 furthest airport from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (meaning Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• The closest airport to Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) is Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR), which is located 41 miles (65 kilometers) ENE of BAQ.
• The airport is located in the municipality of Soledad, just 12 km from the center of Barranquilla.
• In addition to being known as "Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport", another name for BAQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Ernesto Cortissoz".
• Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Also, in the early 1950s a unique system was built for loading and unloading passengers and cargo from DC-4s that drastically reduced the time required by a claimed 50%.
• The airport has three ramps for parking aircraft, they are for use by commercial passenger aircraft, cargo aircraft and military aircraft.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• On 28 May 1943, a small detachment of Alaskan Scouts began reconnaissance of Shemya, a small, flat, uninhabited island 35 miles to the east of Attu.
• Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
• After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".