Nonstop flight route between Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, United States and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, United States and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,620 miles (or 4,216 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 Chippewa County International Airport 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 Chippewa County International Airport 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Chippewa County International Airport (CIU):

• Because of Chippewa County International Airport's relatively low elevation of 799 feet, planes can take off or land at Chippewa County 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 Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,103 miles (17,869 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) is Kincheloe Air Force Base (INR), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of CIU.
• Chippewa County International Airport covers an area of 1,850 acres at an elevation of 799 feet above mean sea level.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• The base reopened in September 1946, once again as a satellite of Ladd Field.
• 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 addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• Eielson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 26 miles southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska and just southeast of Moose Creek, Alaska.
• 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.
• A new chapter for the base began 1 October 1981 when the 343d Composite Wing replaced the 5010th as Eielson's host unit.
• The 720th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, equipped with F-86 Sabres, was deployed to Eielson during 1954–55.
• Operational uses of Mile 26 were few.
• For the next 34 years, the 5010th served as host-unit at Eielson.
• The Cold War seen the use of Eielson's expansive reservation as a maneuver area for the U.S.