Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ), Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,118 miles (or 8,237 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 La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs 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 La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs 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):

• 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 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.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• On 16 November 2010, a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor took off for a training mission.
• The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.
• 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.

Facts about La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ):

• Because of La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport's relatively low elevation of 276 feet, planes can take off or land at La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs 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.
• La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ) is Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH), which is located 36 miles (58 kilometers) NW of MCJ.
• The furthest airport from La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (meaning La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,302 miles (19,798 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport", another name for MCJ is "Aeropuerto Jorge Isaacs".