Nonstop flight route between Galena, Alaska, United States and Jaffna, Sri Lanka:
Departure Airport:
(64°44'9"N by 156°56'15"W)
Arrival Airport:
(9°47'32"N by 80°4'12"E)
Distance from GAL to JAF:
6,516.39 miles (10,487.08 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- GAL Airport Information
- JAF Airport Information
- Facts about GAL
- Facts about JAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to GAL
- List of Nearest Airports to GAL
- Map of Furthest Airports from GAL
- List of Furthest Airports from GAL
- Map of Nearest Airports to JAF
- List of Nearest Airports to JAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from JAF
- List of Furthest Airports from JAF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States and Jaffna Airport (JAF), Jaffna, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,516 miles (or 10,487 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 Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport and Jaffna 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 Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport and Jaffna Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GAL / PAGA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Galena, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 64°44'9"N by 156°56'15"W |
| Area Served: | Galena, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 153 feet (47 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GAL |
| More Information: | GAL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | JAF / VCCJ |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Jaffna, Sri Lanka |
| GPS Coordinates: | 9°47'32"N by 80°4'12"E |
| Area Served: | Jaffna |
| Operator/Owner: | Government of Sri Lanka |
| Airport Type: | Military/Public |
| Elevation: | 33 feet (10 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from JAF |
| More Information: | JAF Maps & Info |
Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):
- Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,313 miles (16,598 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
- As Galena Airport, it was used as a military transport base during World War II, facilitating the transit of Lend-Lease aircraft to the Soviet Union.
- The airport also sports a ski-jump takeoff ramp at one end and provisions for arresting gear at the other, a leftover from the Cold War years as Galena Air Force Base, as tactical aircraft required more landing and takeoff space than was available on the runway.
- In addition to being known as "Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport", another name for GAL is "(former Galena Air Force Base)".
- Because of Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport's relatively low elevation of 153 feet, planes can take off or land at Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
Facts about Jaffna Airport (JAF):
- A Sri Lanka Air Force detachment moved onto the site around 1976.
- Jaffna Airport (JAF) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Jaffna Airport", another name for JAF is "யாழ்ப்பாணம் விமான நிலையம்යාපනය ගුවන්තොටුපළ".
- Because of Jaffna Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Jaffna 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 furthest airport from Jaffna Airport (JAF) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,511 miles (18,525 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
- The closest airport to Jaffna Airport (JAF) is Anuradhapura Airport (ACJ), which is located 106 miles (170 kilometers) SSE of JAF.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 25.24 miles (40.63 km) WNW | Koyukuk Airport (KYU) | Koyukuk, Alaska, United States |     |
| 2 | 33.53 miles (53.95 km) W | Nulato Airport (NUL) | Nulato, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 43.28 miles (69.66 km) E | Ruby Airport (RBY) | Ruby, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 60.86 miles (97.94 km) WSW | Kaltag Airport (KAL) | Kaltag, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 68.58 miles (110.37 km) NNE | Huslia Airport (HSL) | Huslia, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 83.93 miles (135.07 km) SSE | Bear Creek 3 Airport (BCC) | Bear Creek, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 118.39 miles (190.53 km) NE | Hughes Airport (HUS) | Hughes, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 123.53 miles (198.81 km) SSE | Takotna Airport (TCT) | Takotna, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 124.64 miles (200.60 km) W | Koyuk Alfred Adams Airport (KKA) | Koyuk, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 127.30 miles (204.87 km) NE | Indian Mountain LRRS Airport (UTO) | Utopia Creek, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 127.43 miles (205.08 km) WNW | Haycock Airport (HAY) | Haycock, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 129.61 miles (208.58 km) WSW | Unalakleet Airport (UNK) | Unalakleet, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 129.70 miles (208.73 km) W | Shaktoolik Airport (SKK) | Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 129.70 miles (208.73 km) SSE | McGrath Airport (MCG) | McGrath, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 130.57 miles (210.14 km) SSE | Tatalina LRRS Airport (TLJ) | Takotna, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,313.41 miles (16,597.78 km) S | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,309.38 miles (16,591.29 km) S | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,302.73 miles (16,580.59 km) S | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,276.31 miles (16,538.08 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,237.19 miles (16,475.12 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,131.03 miles (16,304.27 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,076.40 miles (16,216.36 km) SE | Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM) | Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica | |
| 8 | 10,075.25 miles (16,214.50 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 9 | 10,017.04 miles (16,120.83 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,016.20 miles (16,119.47 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,015.87 miles (16,118.95 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,008.98 miles (16,107.85 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 10,001.06 miles (16,095.11 km) S | Kleinsee Airport (KLZ) | Kleinzee, South Africa | |
| 14 | 9,991.80 miles (16,080.21 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 9,991.52 miles (16,079.76 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 105.87 miles (170.39 km) SSE | Anuradhapura Airport (ACJ) | Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka | |
| 2 | 114.33 miles (184.00 km) NW | Tiruchirappalli International Airport (TRZ) | Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, India | |
| 3 | 115.08 miles (185.20 km) SE | China Bay Airport (TRR) | Trincomalee, Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | 134.88 miles (217.06 km) W | Madurai Airport (IXM) | Madurai, India | |
| 5 | 151.19 miles (243.31 km) N | Puducherry Airport (PNY) | Puducherry, India | |
| 6 | 180.87 miles (291.08 km) S | Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) | Colombo, Sri Lanka | |
| 7 | 181.22 miles (291.64 km) SE | Batticaloa Airport (BTC) | Batticaloa, Sri Lanka | |
| 8 | 193.46 miles (311.34 km) NW | Salem Airport (SXV) | Salem, India | |
| 9 | 200.14 miles (322.10 km) SSE | Ampara Airport (ADP) | Ampara, Sri Lanka | |
| 10 | 205.62 miles (330.90 km) S | Ratmalana Airport (RML) | Ratmalana, Sri Lanka | |
| 11 | 220.49 miles (354.84 km) N | Chennai International Airport (MAA) | Chennai (Madras), India | |
| 12 | 222.77 miles (358.51 km) WNW | Coimbatore International Airport (CJB) | Coimbatore, India | |
| 13 | 233.17 miles (375.25 km) WSW | Trivandrum International Airport (TRV) | Trivandrum, Kerala, India | |
| 14 | 251.58 miles (404.89 km) W | Cochin International Airport (COK) | Nedumbassery near Kochi (Cochin), Kerala, India | |
| 15 | 252.56 miles (406.46 km) SSE | Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) | Hambantota, Sri Lanka | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,510.73 miles (18,524.68 km) SW | Seymour Airport (GPS) | Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador | |
| 2 | 11,499.34 miles (18,506.34 km) SW | San Cristóbal Airport (SCY) | San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador | |
| 3 | 11,107.32 miles (17,875.45 km) WSW | Cap. FAP Victor Montes Arias Airport (TYL) | Talara, Peru | |
| 4 | 11,086.40 miles (17,841.78 km) SSE | Mataveri International Airport (IPC) | Easter Island, Chile | |
| 5 | 11,076.74 miles (17,826.24 km) WSW | Cap. FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport (PIU) | Piura, Peru | |
| 6 | 11,047.12 miles (17,778.58 km) W | Cap. FAP José A. Quiñones González International Airport (CIX) | Chiclayo, Peru | |
| 7 | 11,034.63 miles (17,758.47 km) WSW | General Ulpiano Paez Airport (SNC) | Salinas, Ecuador | |
| 8 | 11,028.42 miles (17,748.48 km) WSW | Cap. FAP Pedro Canga Rodríguez Airport (TBP) | Tumbes, Peru | |
| 9 | 11,016.72 miles (17,729.64 km) WSW | José María Velasco Ibarra Airport (MRR) | Macará, Ecuador | |
| 10 | 11,010.99 miles (17,720.42 km) W | Capitán FAP Carlos Martínez de Pinillos International Airport (TRU) | Trujillo, Peru | |
| 11 | 10,999.48 miles (17,701.91 km) WSW | Santa Rosa International Airport (ETR) | Santa Rosa, El Oro, Ecuador | |
| 12 | 10,979.52 miles (17,669.79 km) WSW | Eloy Alfaro International Airport (MEC) | Manta, Manabí, Ecuador | |
| 13 | 10,977.51 miles (17,666.55 km) W | Teniente FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales Airport (CHM) | Chimbote, Ancash Region, Peru | |
| 14 | 10,971.59 miles (17,657.02 km) WSW | Camilo Ponce Enriquez Airport (LOH) | Loja, Ecuador | |
| 15 | 10,969.42 miles (17,653.53 km) WSW | Reales Tamarindos Airport (PVO) | Portoviejo, Ecuador | |