Nonstop flight route between Galveston, Texas, United States and Christmas Island, Australia:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from GLS to XCH:
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- About this route
- GLS Airport Information
- XCH Airport Information
- Facts about GLS
- Facts about XCH
- Map of Nearest Airports to GLS
- List of Nearest Airports to GLS
- Map of Furthest Airports from GLS
- List of Furthest Airports from GLS
- Map of Nearest Airports to XCH
- List of Nearest Airports to XCH
- Map of Furthest Airports from XCH
- List of Furthest Airports from XCH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS), Galveston, Texas, United States and Christmas Island Airport (XCH), Christmas Island, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,580 miles (or 17,026 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 Scholes International Airport at Galveston and Christmas Island 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 Scholes International Airport at Galveston and Christmas Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | GLS / KGLS |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Galveston, Texas, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 29°15'55"N by 94°51'38"W |
Area Served: | Galveston, Texas |
Operator/Owner: | City of Galveston |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from GLS |
More Information: | GLS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | XCH / YPXM |
Airport Name: | Christmas Island Airport |
Location: | Christmas Island, Australia |
GPS Coordinates: | 10°27'2"S by 105°41'25"E |
Operator/Owner: | Toll Remote Logistics |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 916 feet (279 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from XCH |
More Information: | XCH Maps & Info |
Facts about Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS):
- GLS is an airport with air traffic control 12 hours a day, with direct clearance delivery service to Houston TRACON after the tower is closed.
- During World War II, it was redesignated a U.S.
- Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS) has 2 runways.
- In January 1943, Galveston AAFld.
- Because of Scholes International Airport at Galveston's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at Scholes International Airport at Galveston 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.
- In addition to being known as "Scholes International Airport at Galveston", another name for GLS is "(former Galveston Army Air Field)".
- The closest airport to Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS) is Ellington Field Joint Reserve BaseEllington Air Force BaseEllington Field (EFD), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) NW of GLS.
- It was officially deactivated on November 15, 1945, with ownership reverting to the City of Galveston.
- The furthest airport from Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,038 miles (17,764 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
Facts about Christmas Island Airport (XCH):
- Because of Christmas Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 916 feet, planes can take off or land at Christmas Island 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.
- Christmas Island Airport (XCH) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is nearly antipodal to Christmas Island Airport (meaning Christmas Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Barranquilla, Colombia.
- The airport's location at the top of a hill, with a 2% mid-runway gradient, makes it a challenging landing for pilots.
- Although located on Australian territory, the airport is classified as a Category 4 international airport for all arrivals, including those from Australia.
- The closest airport to Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Cibeureum Airfield (TSY), which is located 276 miles (445 kilometers) NE of XCH.
- After the closure of the casino, the resort was taken over by the Asia Pacific Space Centre, which developed plans for a satellite launch facility on Christmas Island.
- Christmas Island Airport handled 27,286 passengers last year.