Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Skardu, Pakistan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Skardu Airport (KDU), Skardu, Pakistan would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,294 miles (or 8,520 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 Skardu 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 Skardu 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.
• It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Command, Alaskan NORAD Region, Joint Task Force-Alaska, Eleventh Air Force, the 673d Air Base Wing, the 3rd Wing, the 176th Wing and other Tenant Units.
• 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.
• Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage.
• 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".
• On 28 July 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four air crew members.

Facts about Skardu Airport (KDU):

• In addition to being known as "Skardu Airport", another name for KDU is "سکردو ہوائی اڈے".
• Skardu Airport (KDU) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Skardu Airport (KDU) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,801 miles (18,992 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• The closest airport to Skardu Airport (KDU) is Gilgit Airport (GIL), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) WNW of KDU.
• Because of Skardu Airport's high elevation of 7,316 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KDU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KDU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.