Nonstop flight route between Columbia, Missouri, United States and Manta, Manabí, Ecuador:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from COU to MEC:
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- About this route
- COU Airport Information
- MEC Airport Information
- Facts about COU
- Facts about MEC
- Map of Nearest Airports to COU
- List of Nearest Airports to COU
- Map of Furthest Airports from COU
- List of Furthest Airports from COU
- Map of Nearest Airports to MEC
- List of Nearest Airports to MEC
- Map of Furthest Airports from MEC
- List of Furthest Airports from MEC
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Columbia Regional Airport (COU), Columbia, Missouri, United States and Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC), Manta, Manabí, Ecuador would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,844 miles (or 4,576 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 Columbia Regional Airport and Eloy Alfaro International 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 Columbia Regional Airport and Eloy Alfaro International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | COU / KCOU |
Airport Name: | Columbia Regional Airport |
Location: | Columbia, Missouri, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°49'5"N by 92°13'10"W |
Area Served: | Columbia, Missouri |
Operator/Owner: | City of Columbia |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 889 feet (271 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from COU |
More Information: | COU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MEC / SEMT |
Airport Name: | Eloy Alfaro International Airport |
Location: | Manta, Manabí, Ecuador |
GPS Coordinates: | 0°56'44"S by 80°40'42"W |
Operator/Owner: | Military of Ecuador |
Airport Type: | Public / Military |
Elevation: | 48 feet (15 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MEC |
More Information: | MEC Maps & Info |
Facts about Columbia Regional Airport (COU):
- The closest airport to Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) SSE of COU.
- On October 22, 2012, it was announced by Columbia mayor Bob McDavid that American Airlines and the City of Columbia reached an agreement that was approved by the Columbia City Council for air service from Columbia Regional Airport to Chicago O'Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth beginning in February 2013.
- The furthest airport from Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,886 miles (17,519 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Columbia Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 889 feet, planes can take off or land at Columbia Regional 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 2013 Federal sequester will result in the closure of the airport's contract control tower and will require pilots to rely on air traffic controllers from other area airports.
- Columbia Regional Airport (COU) has 2 runways.
- In August 2012, Frontier Airlines announced plans to have twice weekly flights from Columbia to Orlando.
Facts about Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC):
- Until July 2009 a portion of the airport was used by the Air Forces Southern Air Force component of the United States Southern Command for operations against illegal cocaine trafficking in northwestern South America.
- The closest airport to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Reales Tamarindos Airport (PVO), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) ESE of MEC.
- Because of Eloy Alfaro International Airport's relatively low elevation of 48 feet, planes can take off or land at Eloy Alfaro 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 Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) is Aek Godang Airport (AEG), which is nearly antipodal to Eloy Alfaro International Airport (meaning Eloy Alfaro International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aek Godang Airport), and is located 12,405 miles (19,963 kilometers) away in Padang Sidempuan, Indonesia.
- Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) currently has only 1 runway.