Nonstop flight route between Huai'an, Jiangsu, China and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Huai'an Lianshui Airport (HIA), Huai'an, Jiangsu, China and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,236 miles (or 6,817 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 Huai'an Lianshui 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 Huai'an Lianshui 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 Huai'an Lianshui Airport (HIA):

• In 2011, its first full year of operation, Huai'an Airport handled 230,000 passengers to become the 99th busiest airport in China.
• The closest airport to Huai'an Lianshui Airport (HIA) is Lianyungang Baitabu Airport (LYG), which is located 57 miles (92 kilometers) NNW of HIA.
• Huai'an Lianshui Airport handled 230,000 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Huai'an Lianshui Airport (HIA) is Junín Airport (JNI), which is nearly antipodal to Huai'an Lianshui Airport (meaning Huai'an Lianshui Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Junín Airport), and is located 12,384 miles (19,929 kilometers) away in Junín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Because of Huai'an Lianshui Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Huai'an Lianshui 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.
• Huai'an Lianshui Airport (HIA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Huai'an Lianshui Airport", other names for HIA include "淮安涟水机场" and "Huái'ān Liánshuǐ Jīchǎng".

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• On 22 September 1995, a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control aircraft with 22 USAF personnel and two Canadian air crew members crashed after ingesting a flock of Canada Geese, killing all on board.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska.
• The adjacent facilities were officially combined by the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
• 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 first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.
• The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit.
• 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.