Nonstop flight route between Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan and Bakersfield, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between New Chitose Airport (CTS), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan and Meadows Field (BFL), Bakersfield, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,022 miles (or 8,082 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 New Chitose Airport and Meadows Field, 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 New Chitose Airport and Meadows Field. 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 New Chitose Airport (CTS):

• Along with Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport in Russia, it is one of the closest Asian airports to North America along the great circle route used by transpacific flights, and is therefore an ideal refueling stop for many heavy cargo flights between Asia and North America.
• The closest airport to New Chitose Airport (CTS) is Asahikawa Airport (AKJ), which is located 73 miles (117 kilometers) NNE of CTS.
• The furthest airport from New Chitose Airport (CTS) is Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport (PDP), which is located 11,383 miles (18,319 kilometers) away in Maldonado/Punta del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay.
• New Chitose Airport (CTS) has 4 runways.
• The domestic terminal contains a 188-room hotel, the hotelcom's New Chitose Airport.
• International terminal
• As of 2005, New Chitose Airport was the third busiest airport in Japan and ranked #64 in the world in terms of passengers carried.
• In addition to being known as "New Chitose Airport", other names for CTS include "Sapporo/New Chitose Airport", "新千歳空港" and "Shin-Chitose Kūkō".
• Because of New Chitose Airport's relatively low elevation of 70 feet, planes can take off or land at New Chitose 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.
• International departures area

Facts about Meadows Field (BFL):

• The closest airport to Meadows Field (BFL) is Shafter Airport (MIT), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) WNW of BFL.
• The furthest airport from Meadows Field (BFL) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,406 miles (18,356 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• Meadows Field (BFL) has 2 runways.
• United Airlines served Meadows Field from 1946 until 1979–80 and again for three years starting around 1984.
• The domestic terminal was constructed in anticipation of future expansion.
• In addition to being known as "Meadows Field", another name for BFL is "Kern County Airport No. 1".
• In late 1943 the United States Army Air Forces acquired usage rights to Meadows Field.
• The terminal was constructed in 1957, and originally served all domestic flights.
• The main runway, 12L-30R, is the longest in the San Joaquin Valley.
• Bakersfield then had two airfields.
• Because of Meadows Field's relatively low elevation of 510 feet, planes can take off or land at Meadows Field 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.
• With the end of the war, the base was declared excess to requirements and returned to civil control.