Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Payson, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Payson Airport (PJB), Payson, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,516 miles (or 4,049 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 Payson 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 Payson 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):

• Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States military facility in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska.
• 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 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.
• The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.
• 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 installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S.
• The 1980s witnessed a period of growth and modernization of Elmendorf AFB.

Facts about Payson Airport (PJB):

• Payson Aviation is the main provider of fixed-based operations.
• The furthest airport from Payson Airport (PJB) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,384 miles (18,320 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The airport does not have an air traffic control tower.
• The closest airport to Payson Airport (PJB) is Sedona Airport (SDX), which is located 48 miles (78 kilometers) NNW of PJB.
• Because of Payson Airport's high elevation of 5,157 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at PJB. Combined with a high temperature, this could make PJB a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Payson Airport (PJB) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Payson Airport", another name for PJB is "PAN".