Nonstop flight route between Galena, Alaska, United States and Santa Marta, Colombia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States and Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR), Santa Marta, Colombia would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,310 miles (or 8,545 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 Simón Bolívar International 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 Simón Bolívar International 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 Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):

• Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
• As Galena Air Force Base, it was used by the USAF during the Cold War as an interceptor base for aircraft patrolling the western areas of Alaska.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Facts about Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR):

• Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Simón Bolívar International Airport (meaning Simón Bolívar International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,390 miles (19,940 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Simón Bolívar International Airport", another name for SMR is "Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar".
• The closest airport to Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is located 41 miles (65 kilometers) WSW of SMR.
• Because of Simón Bolívar International Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Simón Bolívar 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.