Nonstop flight route between Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States and Salamanca, Spain:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, United States and Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM), Salamanca, Spain would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,321 miles (or 8,563 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 Biggs Army Airfield and Salamanca-Matacán 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 Biggs Army Airfield and Salamanca-Matacán 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 Biggs Army Airfield (BIF):

• What is now Biggs Army Airfield started life in 1915 as an encampment at Fort Bliss, Texas for the 82d Field Artillery.
• Prior to the takeover of Biggs by SAC in October 1948, it had previously moved the B-29 Superfortress-equipped 97th Bombardment Group to the base in May.
• The closest airport to Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is El Paso International Airport (ELP), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) S of BIF.
• With World War II imminent, a massive construction effort was begun at Biggs Army Airfield between 1942–1945.
• In August 1953, the first B-36D arrived at Biggs, although the majority of aircraft received were the later-model B-36J-III models with a higher operational ceiling, strengthened landing gear, increased fuel capacity, armament reduced to tail guns only and reduced crew.
• The furthest airport from Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,387 miles (18,325 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Biggs Army Airfield", another name for BIF is "Biggs Air Force BaseBiggs Field".
• In April 1943, the 330th Bombardment Group was established at Biggs to begin replacement training of personnel, rather than the training of entire groups.
• While in Alaska, the 97th Bombardment Wing had been activated under the Hobson Plan, and the 97th Bomb Group became a subordinate organization under the wing.
• In 1920 Camp Owen Bierne opened on the site of the current airbase as a base for airship operations but the units were soon disbanded.
• Biggs Army Airfield (BIF) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM):

• The closest airport to Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM) is Valladolid International Airport (VLL), which is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) NNE of SLM.
• Salamanca-Matacán Airport handled 15,830 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM) is Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ), which is nearly antipodal to Salamanca-Matacán Airport (meaning Salamanca-Matacán Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kapiti Coast Airport), and is located 12,411 miles (19,973 kilometers) away in Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand.
• Salamanca-Matacán Airport (SLM) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Salamanca-Matacán Airport", another name for SLM is "Aeropuerto de Salamanca-Matacán".