Nonstop flight route between Willemstad, Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Minot, North Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR), Willemstad, Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Minot Air Force Base (MIB), Minot, North Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,117 miles (or 5,016 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport and Minot 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport and Minot 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR):

• Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport's relatively low elevation of 29 feet, planes can take off or land at Hato International Airport Curaçao 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 closest airport to Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) is Flamingo International Airport (BON), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) E of CUR.
• The furthest airport from Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) is Adisucipto International Airport (JOG), which is nearly antipodal to Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (meaning Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Adisucipto International Airport), and is located 12,130 miles (19,521 kilometers) away in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
• During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force conducting antisubmarine patrols.

Facts about Minot Air Force Base (MIB):

• In 1961, the Air Force selected the land around Minot for a new Minuteman I ICBM complex.
• Construction of Minot AFB began in May 1956 and it officially opened on 10 January 1957, named for the nearby city of Minot.
• On 1 February 1963, SAC, as part of a conversion to unit designations with historical significance, activated the 450th Bombardment Wing at Minot and the 720th Bombardment Squadron, along with the formation of the 450th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron, 450th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 450th Field Maintenance Squadron, and the 450th Organizational Maintenance Squadron simultaneously.
• The 91st Missile Wing of the Global Strike Command is responsible for maintaining the Minuteman III nuclear missiles, located in three main fields to the north, west, and south of the base.
• replaced by the 5th Bombardment Wing
• Strategic Air Command initially had units assigned to Minot AFB in 1958 for air refueling support.
• The furthest airport from Minot Air Force Base (MIB) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,320 miles (16,609 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Minot Air Force Base (MIB) is Minot International Airport (MOT), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) SSE of MIB.
• The scope of operations grew as the Air Force transferred the 525th Bombardment Squadron from the 19th Bombardment Wing at Homestead AFB, Florida, on 8 March 1961, followed by the first B-52H Stratofortress on 10 July 1961, nicknamed "Peace Persuader".
• Following the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-81, SAC tasked the former 57th Air Division to organize the Strategic Projection Force.
• In addition to being known as "Minot Air Force Base", another name for MIB is "Minot AFB".