Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Braga, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Braga Airport (BGZ), Braga, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,008 miles (or 8,060 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 Braga 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 Braga 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):

• 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.
• The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S.
• Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• 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.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• 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 uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.

Facts about Braga Airport (BGZ):

• Because of Braga Airport's relatively low elevation of 243 feet, planes can take off or land at Braga 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.
• Braga Airport (BGZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Braga Airport (BGZ) is Westport Airport (WSZ), which is nearly antipodal to Braga Airport (meaning Braga Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Westport Airport), and is located 12,426 miles (19,998 kilometers) away in Westport, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Braga Airport (BGZ) is Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO), which is located 27 miles (44 kilometers) SSW of BGZ.
• In addition to being known as "Braga Airport", another name for BGZ is "Aeródromo Municipal de Braga".