Nonstop flight route between Funafuti, Tuvalu and Kobuk, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Funafuti International Airport (FUN), Funafuti, Tuvalu and Kobuk Airport (OBU), Kobuk, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,348 miles (or 8,606 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 Funafuti International Airport and Kobuk 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 Funafuti International Airport and Kobuk 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 Funafuti International Airport (FUN):

• Funafuti Airport was built by United States Navy Seabee construction battalions in 1943 during World War II.
• Funafuti International Airport (FUN) currently has only 1 runway.
• In November 2013 the World Bank approved US$6.06 million in finance for the existing Tuvalu Aviation Investment Project for the purpose of improving operational safety and oversight of international air transport and associated infrastructure at Funafuti International Airport.
• The closest airport to Funafuti International Airport (FUN) is Arorae Island Airport (AIS), which is located 440 miles (708 kilometers) NNW of FUN.
• The furthest airport from Funafuti International Airport (FUN) is Tamale Airport (TML), which is nearly antipodal to Funafuti International Airport (meaning Funafuti International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Tamale Airport), and is located 12,365 miles (19,900 kilometers) away in Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
• Because of Funafuti International Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Funafuti International 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.
• The deterioration of the runway's sub-base is a consequence of its low elevation and the hydrologic dynamics in the sub-surface of the atoll.
• The first offensive operation was launched on 20 April 1943 when 22 B-24 Liberator aircraft from 371 and 372 Bombardment Squadrons bombed Nauru.

Facts about Kobuk Airport (OBU):

• The closest airport to Kobuk Airport (OBU) is Dahl Creek Airport (DCK), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) N of OBU.
• As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 1,176 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 1,048 in 2009, and 1,255 in 2010.
• Kobuk Airport (OBU) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Kobuk Airport", another name for OBU is "PAOB".
• The furthest airport from Kobuk Airport (OBU) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,163 miles (16,356 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• Because of Kobuk Airport's relatively low elevation of 142 feet, planes can take off or land at Kobuk 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.