Nonstop flight route between Houston, Texas, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH), Houston, Texas, United States and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,245 miles (or 5,223 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 David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport and Elmendorf 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 David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport and Elmendorf 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 David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH):

• David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) has 3 runways.
• Because of David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport's relatively low elevation of 152 feet, planes can take off or land at David Wayne Hooks Memorial 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 furthest airport from David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,969 miles (17,653 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Until the 1980s, the airport was run and maintained by Hooks, and his wife Irma.
• The closest airport to David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) is George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) ESE of DWH.
• The airport is notable because it is one of only a few privately owned airports with a Federal Aviation Administration control tower.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• Following World War II, Elmendorf assumed an increasing role in the defense of North America as the uncertain wartime relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorated into the Cold War.
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage.
• The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit.
• That importance was further recognized when the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in May 1991.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.