Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Gulkana, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to GKN:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- GKN Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about GKN
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to GKN
- List of Nearest Airports to GKN
- Map of Furthest Airports from GKN
- List of Furthest Airports from GKN
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Gulkana Airport (GKN), Gulkana, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,531 miles (or 4,073 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 Gulkana 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 Gulkana Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DSM / KDSM |
Airport Name: | Des Moines International Airport |
Location: | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W |
Area Served: | Des Moines, Iowa |
Operator/Owner: | City of Des Moines |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 958 feet (292 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from DSM |
More Information: | DSM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GKN / PAGK |
Airport Name: | Gulkana Airport |
Location: | Gulkana, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 62°9'18"N by 145°27'15"W |
Area Served: | Gulkana, Alaska |
Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1586 feet (483 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from GKN |
More Information: | GKN Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
- On December 18, 2010, a small red Beechcraft Bonanza crashed while performing an emergency landing at DSM.
- 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.
- 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.
- During the 1920s the Des Moines area had several small private airports for general aviation and airmail.
Facts about Gulkana Airport (GKN):
- The furthest airport from Gulkana Airport (GKN) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,451 miles (16,820 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 204 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 187 enplanements in 2009, and 141 in 2010.
- The closest airport to Gulkana Airport (GKN) is Copper Center Airport (CZC), which is located only 16 miles (25 kilometers) SSE of GKN.
- Gulkana Airport (GKN) currently has only 1 runway.