Nonstop flight route between Biarritz, France and Okinawa Prefecture, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ), Biarritz, France and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA), Okinawa Prefecture, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,641 miles (or 10,687 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 Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō, 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 Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō. 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 Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ):

• Because of Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport's relatively low elevation of 245 feet, planes can take off or land at Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne 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 closest airport to Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) is San Sebastián Airport (EAS), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) WSW of BIQ.
• The furthest airport from Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) is Hood Aerodrome (MRO), which is nearly antipodal to Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (meaning Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hood Aerodrome), and is located 12,211 miles (19,652 kilometers) away in Masterton, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport", another name for BIQ is "Aéroport de Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne".
• Biarritz – Anglet – Bayonne Airport (BIQ) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA):

• On 7 June 1946, Headquarters Eighth Air Force moved without personnel or equipment to MacDill AAF, Florida.
• The furthest airport from Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) is Paulo Abdala Airport (FBE), which is nearly antipodal to Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (meaning Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Paulo Abdala Airport), and is located 12,381 miles (19,926 kilometers) away in Francisco Beltrao, Paraná, Brazil.
• Beginning in 1961, the 18th was sending its tactical squadrons frequently to South Vietnam and Thailand, initially with its RF-101 reconnaissance forces, and beginning in 1964 with its tactical fighter forces supporting USAF combat missions in the Vietnam War.
• Upon its reassignment to the Pacific Theater, Eighth Air Force was assigned to the U.S.
• The closest airport to Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) is Naha Airport (OKA), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SW of DNA.
• Kadena Air Base's history dates back to just before the 1 April 1945, Battle of Okinawa, when a local construction firm completed a small airfield named Yara Hikojo near the island's village of Kadena.
• In addition to being known as "Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō", another name for DNA is "Kadena AFB".