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

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DTW to SYA:
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- About this route
- DTW Airport Information
- SYA Airport Information
- Facts about DTW
- Facts about SYA
- Map of Nearest Airports to DTW
- List of Nearest Airports to DTW
- Map of Furthest Airports from DTW
- List of Furthest Airports from DTW
- Map of Nearest Airports to SYA
- List of Nearest Airports to SYA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SYA
- List of Furthest Airports from SYA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,427 miles (or 7,125 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 Eareckson Air Station, 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 Eareckson Air Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DTW / KDTW |
Airport Name: | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport |
Location: | Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 42°12'44"N by 83°21'11"W |
Area Served: | Detroit, Michigan |
Operator/Owner: | Wayne County, Michigan |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 645 feet (197 meters) |
# of Runways: | 6 |
View all routes: | Routes from DTW |
More Information: | DTW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SYA / PASY |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Shemya, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 52°42'43"N by 174°6'48"E |
Operator/Owner: | U.S. Air Force |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 97 feet (30 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SYA |
More Information: | SYA Maps & Info |
Facts about Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW):
- 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.
- Republic Airlines began hub operations in 1984, and its merger with Northwest Airlines in 1986 expanded the hub.
- 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 Airport Authority's long-term plans include an airport rail system, a new runway, and terminal expansions.
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has 6 runways.
- The North Terminal has five domestic baggage carousels on the lower level, which are all common-use.
- The B and C concourses are connected to the main terminal building and the A Concourse by a pedestrian walkway under the Airport ramp.
- 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.
Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):
- In August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.
- The aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
- The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
- The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
- Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and " ".
- In July 1973, Raytheon won a contract to build a system called COBRA DANE on Shemya.
- Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 second attack by B-24 Liberators was launched from Alexai Point and Shemya on 18 July.
- There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
- Additional aircraft and personnel reductions occurred in 1945 and almost all air bases other than Alexi Point, Shemya and Davis in the Aleutians were reduced to caretaker status.