Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa:
Departure Airport:
(47°56'57"N by 97°10'33"W)
Arrival Airport:
(13°49'46"S by 172°0'29"W)
Distance from GFK to APW:
6,247.42 miles (10,054.22 km)
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- About this route
- GFK Airport Information
- APW Airport Information
- Facts about GFK
- Facts about APW
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFK
- List of Nearest Airports to GFK
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFK
- List of Furthest Airports from GFK
- Map of Nearest Airports to APW
- List of Nearest Airports to APW
- Map of Furthest Airports from APW
- List of Furthest Airports from APW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and Faleolo International Airport (APW), Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,247 miles (or 10,054 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 Grand Forks International Airport and Faleolo 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 Grand Forks International Airport and Faleolo International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFK / KGFK |
| Airport Name: | Grand Forks International Airport |
| Location: | Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°56'57"N by 97°10'33"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Grand Forks Regional Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 845 feet (258 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GFK |
| More Information: | GFK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | APW / NSFA |
| Airport Name: | Faleolo International Airport |
| Location: | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 13°49'46"S by 172°0'29"W |
| Area Served: | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 58 feet (18 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from APW |
| More Information: | APW Maps & Info |
Facts about Grand Forks International Airport (GFK):
- Because of Grand Forks International Airport's relatively low elevation of 845 feet, planes can take off or land at Grand Forks 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 closest airport to Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) is Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) W of GFK.
- GFK Flight Support, the fixed base operator at the airport, completed construction of a new $4.5 million facility in Fall 2008.
- Most operations at GFK is from the University of North Dakota.
- KGFK is a non-hub, primary commercial service airport.
- The furthest airport from Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,514 miles (16,921 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In the mid-2000s, discussion began of upgrading or totally replacing the terminal as it has structural and safety problems and leaves little to no room for expansion.
- Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) has 4 runways.
Facts about Faleolo International Airport (APW):
- The closest airport to Faleolo International Airport (APW) is Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) WNW of APW.
- Faleolo International Airport (APW) currently has only 1 runway.
- Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737.
- The furthest airport from Faleolo International Airport (APW) is Maradi Airport (MFQ), which is nearly antipodal to Faleolo International Airport (meaning Faleolo International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maradi Airport), and is located 12,373 miles (19,913 kilometers) away in Maradi, Niger.
- Because of Faleolo International Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Faleolo 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.
- Faleolo Tower has some jurisdiction over the airspace of American Samoa and Tonga as well as its own airspace.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.44 miles (16.81 km) W | Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) | Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 26.75 miles (43.06 km) ESE | Crookston Municipal Airport (CKN) | Crookston, Minnesota, United States | |
| 3 | 46.51 miles (74.86 km) E | Thief River Falls Regional Airport (TVF) | Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States | |
| 4 | 68.70 miles (110.56 km) N | Pembina Municipal Airport (PMB) | Pembina, North Dakota, United States | |
| 5 | 73.04 miles (117.54 km) SSE | Hector International Airport (FAR) | Fargo, North Dakota, United States | |
| 6 | 80.84 miles (130.11 km) W | Devils Lake Regional Airport (DVL) | Devils Lake, North Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 98.38 miles (158.33 km) SE | Detroit Lakes Airport (DTL) | Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, United States | |
| 8 | 99.44 miles (160.04 km) SW | Jamestown Regional Airport (JMS) | Jamestown, North Dakota, United States | |
| 9 | 108.24 miles (174.20 km) NE | Warroad International Memorial Airport (RRT) | Warroad, Minnesota, United States | |
| 10 | 108.48 miles (174.57 km) ESE | Bemidji Regional Airport (BJI) | Bemidji, Minnesota, United States | |
| 11 | 120.80 miles (194.41 km) SSE | Harry Stern Airport (WAH) | Wahpeton, North Dakota, United States | |
| 12 | 124.61 miles (200.53 km) SSE | Fergus Falls Municipal Airport (FFM) | Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States | |
| 13 | 129.47 miles (208.36 km) ENE | Baudette International Airport (BDE) | Baudette, Minnesota, United States | |
| 14 | 135.51 miles (218.08 km) N | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| 15 | 143.90 miles (231.59 km) NNW | Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport (YPG) | Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,514.00 miles (16,920.60 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,490.01 miles (16,881.99 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,482.83 miles (16,870.43 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,464.03 miles (16,840.19 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,437.32 miles (16,797.20 km) WSW | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,407.24 miles (16,748.79 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,396.68 miles (16,731.79 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,390.85 miles (16,722.41 km) WSW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,385.65 miles (16,714.05 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,346.75 miles (16,651.44 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,286.61 miles (16,554.65 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,251.85 miles (16,498.71 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,248.69 miles (16,493.62 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,236.73 miles (16,474.37 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,205.75 miles (16,424.51 km) SE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 17.83 miles (28.70 km) WNW | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 2 | 17.94 miles (28.86 km) E | Fagali'i Airport (FGI) | Apia, Samoa | |
| 3 | 47.25 miles (76.05 km) WNW | Asau Airport (AAU) | Asau, Samoa | |
| 4 | 93.00 miles (149.66 km) ESE | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) | Pago Pago, American Samoa | |
| 5 | 158.66 miles (255.34 km) E | Ofu Airport (OFU) | Ofu, American Samoa | |
| 6 | 169.65 miles (273.03 km) E | Tau Airport (TAV) | Tau, American Samoa | |
| 7 | 175.31 miles (282.13 km) E | Fitiuta Airport (FTI) | Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States | |
| 8 | 270.34 miles (435.06 km) WSW | Mata'aho Airport (NFO) | Niuafo'ou, Tonga | |
| 9 | 284.22 miles (457.41 km) W | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 10 | 388.10 miles (624.59 km) SSE | Niue International Airport (IUE) | Alofi, Niue | |
| 11 | 407.34 miles (655.55 km) W | Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT) | Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 12 | 438.88 miles (706.31 km) SSW | Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga | |
| 13 | 552.24 miles (888.74 km) SSW | Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga | |
| 14 | 557.42 miles (897.08 km) WSW | Cicia Airport (ICI) | Cicia, Fiji | |
| 15 | 605.01 miles (973.66 km) WSW | Labasa Airport (LBS) | Labasa, Fiji | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,373.44 miles (19,913.07 km) ENE | Maradi Airport (MFQ) | Maradi, Niger | |
| 2 | 12,370.13 miles (19,907.75 km) W | Zinder Airport (ZND) | Zinder, Niger | |
| 3 | 12,308.54 miles (19,808.63 km) NNW | Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (KAN) | Kano, Nigeria | |
| 4 | 12,249.13 miles (19,713.01 km) N | Zaria Airport (ZAR) | Zaria, Nigeria | |
| 5 | 12,240.41 miles (19,698.98 km) ENE | Tahoua Airport (THZ) | Tahoua, Niger | |
| 6 | 12,220.10 miles (19,666.30 km) N | Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY) | Agadez, Niger | |
| 7 | 12,215.57 miles (19,659.01 km) NNE | Kaduna Airport (KAD) | Kaduna, Nigeria | |
| 8 | 12,141.28 miles (19,539.45 km) NNW | Yakubu Gowon Airport (JOS) | Jos, Nigeria | |
| 9 | 12,130.17 miles (19,521.56 km) NNE | Minna Airport (MXJ) | Minna, Nigeria | |
| 10 | 12,099.94 miles (19,472.91 km) N | Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (ABV) | Abuja, Nigeria | |
| 11 | 12,091.60 miles (19,459.50 km) N | Arlit Airport (RLT) | Arlit, Niger | |
| 12 | 12,067.85 miles (19,421.27 km) WNW | Maiduguri International Airport (MIU) | Maiduguri, Nigeria | |
| 13 | 12,048.87 miles (19,390.73 km) ENE | Kandi Airport (KDC) | Kandi, Benin | |
| 14 | 12,045.22 miles (19,384.85 km) E | Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM) | Niamey, Niger | |
| 15 | 12,013.98 miles (19,334.57 km) NNE | In Guezzam Airport (INF) | In Guezzam, Algeria | |