Nonstop flight route between Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,972 miles (or 4,784 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Merrill 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Merrill 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW):

• Aerial photographs of DTW from 1949 and 1956 show the airport's expansion.
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has 6 runways.
• The Smith Terminal's thirty-two gates originally housed Northwest Orient Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, Eastern Airlines, and Pan-Am, among others.
• Because of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport's relatively low elevation of 645 feet, planes can take off or land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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.
• A AAA Four Star Westin hotel is directly connected to the terminal.
• In 2009 Detroit Metro Airport launched its first social media efforts with participation in Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube networks.
• Between 1947 and 1950, county officials expanded the small airport to become Detroit's primary airport.
• The furthest airport from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,285 miles (18,161 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The North Terminal houses two, six-lane security checkpoints.
• The closest airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) W of DTW.

Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):

• The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• For 12-month period ending August 5, 2004, the airport had 191,550 aircraft operations, an average of 524 per day, 100% of which were general aviation.
• The offices of the Alaska Dispatch, parent company of the Anchorage Daily News, are located on Merrill Field.
• Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill 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.
• Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.