Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Kufra, Libya:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Kufra Airport (AKF), Kufra, Libya would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,370 miles (or 10,251 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 Des Moines International Airport and Kufra 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 Des Moines International Airport and Kufra Airport. 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 Des Moines International Airport (DSM):

• On December 2, 1978, Douglas C-47A N41447 of SMB Stage Line crashed short of the runway while on a cargo flight from Chicago, Illinois.
• The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
• In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
• On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
• Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines 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 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.

Facts about Kufra Airport (AKF):

• Kufra Airport is an airport in Kufra, southeastern Libya.
• Kufra Airport (AKF) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Kufra Airport (AKF) is Mangaia Island Airport (MGS), which is nearly antipodal to Kufra Airport (meaning Kufra Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mangaia Island Airport), and is located 12,261 miles (19,732 kilometers) away in Mangaia Island, Cook Islands.
• Kufra Airport began as Buma Airfield, built in the 1930s as a minor facility by the Italians.
• In addition to being known as "Kufra Airport", another name for AKF is "مطار الكفرة".
• The closest airport to Kufra Airport (AKF) is Sharq Al-Owainat Airport (GSQ), which is located 360 miles (580 kilometers) ESE of AKF.
• Libyan Airlines operated a twice weekly service from Benghasi with Boeing 727-200 equipment for at least ten years prior to its suspension in 2004.