Nonstop flight route between El Paso, Texas, United States and St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas, United States and MoD St Athan (DGX), St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,040 miles (or 8,112 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 El Paso International Airport and MoD St Athan, 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 El Paso International Airport and MoD St Athan. 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 El Paso International Airport (ELP):

• The closest airport to El Paso International Airport (ELP) is Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) N of ELP.
• Serving General Aviation at El Paso International Airport, Cutter Aviation established a Fixed Base Operation in 1982.
• The terminal is a pier-satellite layout.
• What became El Paso International Airport was built as Standard Airport by Standard Airlines in 1929 for transcontinental air mail service.
• El Paso International Airport handled 3,065,393 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from El Paso International Airport (ELP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,389 miles (18,329 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In 1934, Varney Speed Lines operated at the old El Paso Municipal Airport.
• El Paso International Airport (ELP) has 3 runways.

Facts about MoD St Athan (DGX):

• Because of MoD St Athan's relatively low elevation of 163 feet, planes can take off or land at MoD St Athan 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.
• MoD St Athan (DGX) currently has only 1 runway.
• RAF St Athan has been used to house a number of army units throughout its life and, in 2003, the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards moved from Aldershot to St Athan - the first time they have been based in Wales since they were formed in 1915.
• The closest airport to MoD St Athan (DGX) is Cardiff Airport (CWL), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) E of DGX.
• The furthest airport from MoD St Athan (DGX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,960 miles (19,248 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The new academy was claimed to create up to 5000 jobs at St Athan with a £14 billion investment over 25 years with an estimated £57.4 million spent into the local economy.
• The only squadrons to operate out of St Athan on a regular basis are the University of Wales Air Squadron, flying Grob Tutors and No 634 Volunteer Gliding Squadron using Vigilant T.1s.
• During the war a dummy airfield was built using wood and cardboard a few miles west of the original airfield and successful efforts were made to hide the proper field.
• The last aircraft to be serviced at St Athan, a Vickers VC10, departed the site on 23 February 2012.
• The station officially opened as RAF St Athan on 1 September 1938 and the first unit to take up residence was No 4 School of Technical Training.