Nonstop flight route between Cartagena, Colombia and Pituffik, Greenland:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,573 miles (or 7,360 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 Rafael Núñez International Airport and Thule Air 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 Rafael Núñez International Airport and Thule Air 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 Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG):

• The closest airport to Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is located 59 miles (94 kilometers) ENE of CTG.
• The furthest airport from Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Rafael Núñez International Airport (meaning Rafael Núñez International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,355 miles (19,883 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• Because of Rafael Núñez International Airport's relatively low elevation of 4 feet, planes can take off or land at Rafael Núñez 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.
• In December 1946 it was inaugurated with great pomp Crespo Air Field in the city of Cartagena, which had been built by that subsidiary airport.
• Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Rafael Núñez International Airport", another name for CTG is "Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez".

Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):

• Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
• The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
• In the winter of 1956/57 three KC-97 tankers and alternately one of two RB-47H aircraft made polar flights to inspect Soviet defenses.
• Thule Air Base has served as the regional hub for nearby installations, including Cape Atholl, Camp Century, Camp TUTO, Sites 1 and 2, P-Mountain, J-Site, North and South Mountains, and a research rocket firing site.
• A delegation from NATO's Parliamentary Assembly visited Thule in early September 2010 and were told by the base commander that, at that time, approximately 600 personnel were serving at Thule, a mix of mostly U.S.
• In 1818, Sir John Ross’s expedition made first contact with nomadic Polar Eskimos in the area.
• In 1954, the 378 m Globecom Tower, a tower for military radio communication, was built at Northmountain.
• In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
• The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.