Nonstop flight route between Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,435 miles (or 5,529 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and Elmendorf Air Force Base, 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and Elmendorf Air Force Base. 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT):

• The airport was closed for repairs following severe damage by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.
• The furthest airport from Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,123 miles (17,900 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The airport was originally constructed in 1942 by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base for Air Corps Flying Training Command.
• This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
• Due to the large expansion of the United States Air Force as a result of the Cold War, a new lease was obtained for military use of the airport and Gulfport Air Force Base was opened as a joint-use civil/military facility.
• A 40,000-square-foot cargo facility is located at Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport.
• Gulfport Field was declared excess by the Air Force and conveyed by the War Assets Administration to the City of Gulfport in 1949 for use as a civil airport.
• Because of Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport's relatively low elevation of 28 feet, planes can take off or land at Gulfport–Biloxi 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Keesler Air Force Base (BIX), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) E of GPT.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) has 2 runways.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The Department of Defense proposed a major realignment of the base as part of the Base Realignment and Closure program announced on 13 May 2005.
• On 12 November 1940, the War Department formally designated what had been popularly referred to as Elmendorf Field as Fort Richardson.
• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
• The adjacent facilities were officially combined by the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.