Nonstop flight route between Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
(51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W)
Arrival Airport:
(64°39'56"N by 147°6'5"W)
Distance from BEX to EIL:
4,199.34 miles (6,758.17 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- BEX Airport Information
- EIL Airport Information
- Facts about BEX
- Facts about EIL
- Map of Nearest Airports to BEX
- List of Nearest Airports to BEX
- Map of Furthest Airports from BEX
- List of Furthest Airports from BEX
- Map of Nearest Airports to EIL
- List of Nearest Airports to EIL
- Map of Furthest Airports from EIL
- List of Furthest Airports from EIL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Benson (BEX), Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,199 miles (or 6,758 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 RAF Benson and Eielson Air Force Base, 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 RAF Benson and Eielson Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BEX / EGUB |
| Airport Name: | RAF Benson |
| Location: | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from BEX |
| More Information: | BEX Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | EIL / PAEI |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 64°39'56"N by 147°6'5"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from EIL |
| More Information: | EIL Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Benson (BEX):
- The King's Flight moved from RAF Hendon and would stay until after the war, moving to RAF Northolt in 1995.
- The furthest airport from RAF Benson (BEX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,879 miles (19,118 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- Building work for RAF Benson began in 1937.
- The closest airport to RAF Benson (BEX) is RAF High Wycombe (HYC), which is located only 13 miles (22 kilometers) ENE of BEX.
Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):
- In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
- On 1 December 1947 Strategic Air Command B-29 Superfortress bombers arrived at 26-Mile Airfield with the deployment of the 97th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, from Smoky Hill AFB, Kansas.
- Taken off deployment status in 2007 as a result of BRAC 2005, today the primary mission of the base is to support Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S.
- The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- In 1984, the 343d Composite Wing was redesignated a Tactical Fighter Wing.
- Today the 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division and the 4th Brigade 25th Infantry Division can be found training there.
- The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.38 miles (21.53 km) ENE | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom |     |
| 2 | 18.01 miles (28.98 km) NNW | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.84 miles (36.76 km) WNW | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 22.86 miles (36.79 km) SSE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 27.22 miles (43.81 km) SSE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 27.27 miles (43.88 km) SSE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 28.90 miles (46.51 km) ESE | London Heathrow Airport (LHR) | London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 29.41 miles (47.34 km) E | RAF Northolt (NHT) | Ruislip, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 29.77 miles (47.92 km) S | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) W | RAF Fairford (FFD) | Fairford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 32.59 miles (52.45 km) NNE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 35.88 miles (57.74 km) ENE | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 37.64 miles (60.57 km) ENE | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 39.31 miles (63.26 km) W | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 47.38 miles (76.26 km) SSW | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,879.28 miles (19,117.81 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,856.22 miles (19,080.68 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,854.23 miles (19,077.49 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,851.63 miles (19,073.31 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,838.05 miles (19,051.45 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,819.81 miles (19,022.09 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,815.78 miles (19,015.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,810.58 miles (19,007.24 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,802.08 miles (18,993.57 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,785.98 miles (18,967.65 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,785.41 miles (18,966.73 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,767.06 miles (18,937.19 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,759.25 miles (18,924.64 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,754.85 miles (18,917.55 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,740.74 miles (18,894.85 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 19.23 miles (30.95 km) NW | Ladd Army Airfield (FBK) | Fairbanks / Fort Wainwright, Alaska, United States | |
| 2 | 24.54 miles (39.49 km) WNW | Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 59.01 miles (94.97 km) W | Nenana Municipal Airport (ENN) | Nenana, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 59.31 miles (95.46 km) SE | Delta Junction Airport (DJN) | Delta Junction, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 62.08 miles (99.91 km) SE | Allen Army Airfield (BIG) | Fort Greely, Delta Junction, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 74.32 miles (119.61 km) WNW | Minto Al Wright Airport (MNT) | Minto, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 84.35 miles (135.75 km) SW | McKinley National Park Airport (MCL) | McKinley Park, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 85.66 miles (137.86 km) ESE | Healy River Airport (HKB) | Healy Lake, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 92.02 miles (148.08 km) NE | Circle Hot Springs Airport (CHP) | Circle Hot Springs, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 92.13 miles (148.26 km) NE | Central Airport (CEM) | Central, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 105.87 miles (170.38 km) NW | Rampart Airport (RMP) | Rampart, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 106.58 miles (171.53 km) WNW | Manley Hot Springs Airport (MLY) | Manley Hot Springs, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 109.02 miles (175.45 km) NNW | Stevens Village Airport (SVS) | Stevens Village, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 110.73 miles (178.20 km) SW | Summit Airport (UMM) | Summit, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 117.00 miles (188.30 km) NNE | Birch Creek Airport (KBC) | Birch Creek, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,294.82 miles (16,567.87 km) SSE | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,272.65 miles (16,532.19 km) SSE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,272.20 miles (16,531.45 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,240.74 miles (16,480.83 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,232.10 miles (16,466.93 km) SSE | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,141.32 miles (16,320.83 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,098.42 miles (16,251.80 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,027.05 miles (16,136.93 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 10,021.32 miles (16,127.70 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,016.69 miles (16,120.27 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,015.39 miles (16,118.17 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,014.79 miles (16,117.20 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 10,013.90 miles (16,115.78 km) S | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 14 | 9,993.38 miles (16,082.74 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 9,986.33 miles (16,071.40 km) S | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |