Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Kufra, Libya:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Kufra Airport (AKF), Kufra, Libya would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,522 miles (or 10,495 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base 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 Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• 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.
• On 22 September 1995, a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control aircraft with 22 USAF personnel and two Canadian air crew members crashed after ingesting a flock of Canada Geese, killing all on board.
• 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 closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• Despite a diminished number of personnel and aircraft, a turning point in Elmendorf's history occurred in 1970 with the arrival of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron in June 1970 from MacDill AFB, Florida.

Facts about Kufra Airport (AKF):

• The closest airport to Kufra Airport (AKF) is Sharq Al-Owainat Airport (GSQ), which is located 360 miles (580 kilometers) ESE of AKF.
• 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".
• In April 1942 a detachment of Squadron 16 of the South African Air Force with three Bristol Blenheim Mk.
• 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.