Nonstop flight route between Houston, Texas, United States and Alula, Somalia:
Departure Airport:
(29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W)
Arrival Airport:
(11°57'30"N by 50°44'53"E)
Distance from IWS to ALU:
8,786.20 miles (14,139.99 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- IWS Airport Information
- ALU Airport Information
- Facts about IWS
- Facts about ALU
- Map of Nearest Airports to IWS
- List of Nearest Airports to IWS
- Map of Furthest Airports from IWS
- List of Furthest Airports from IWS
- Map of Nearest Airports to ALU
- List of Nearest Airports to ALU
- Map of Furthest Airports from ALU
- List of Furthest Airports from ALU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas, United States and Alula Airport (ALU), Alula, Somalia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,786 miles (or 14,140 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 West Houston Airport and Alula 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 West Houston Airport and Alula Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | IWS / KIWS |
| Airport Name: | West Houston Airport |
| Location: | Houston, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W |
| Area Served: | Houston, Texas |
| Operator/Owner: | West Houston Airport Corp. |
| Airport Type: | Public use |
| Elevation: | 111 feet (34 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IWS |
| More Information: | IWS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ALU / HCMA |
| Airport Name: | Alula Airport |
| Location: | Alula, Somalia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 11°57'30"N by 50°44'53"E |
| Area Served: | Alula, Somalia |
| Operator/Owner: | Puntland Ministry for Civil Aviation and Airports |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
| View all routes: | Routes from ALU |
| More Information: | ALU Maps & Info |
Facts about West Houston Airport (IWS):
- The closest airport to West Houston Airport (IWS) is Andrau Airpark (AAP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) SE of IWS.
- The furthest airport from West Houston Airport (IWS) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,979 miles (17,668 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The new sign at the entrance
- West Houston Airport (IWS) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of West Houston Airport's relatively low elevation of 111 feet, planes can take off or land at West Houston 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.
- Landing at the airport is free, except for helicopters, where the fee is waived if the customer buys gasoline.
- West Houston Airport owned and operated by Gary Gandy covers an area of 200 acres at an elevation of 111 feet above mean sea level.
Facts about Alula Airport (ALU):
- Because of Alula Airport's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at Alula 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 Alula Airport (ALU) is Candala Airport (CXN), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ALU.
- The furthest airport from Alula Airport (ALU) is Pukarua Airport (PUK), which is located 11,759 miles (18,924 kilometers) away in Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 8.83 miles (14.21 km) SE | Andrau Airpark (AAP) | Houston, Texas, United States |     |
| 2 | 13.58 miles (21.86 km) S | Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) | Sugar Land, Texas (near Houston), United States | |
| 3 | 18.29 miles (29.44 km) NNE | David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 4 | 22.91 miles (36.88 km) ENE | George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 5 | 26.46 miles (42.59 km) ESE | William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 6 | 34.10 miles (54.88 km) ESE | Ellington Field Joint Reserve BaseEllington Air Force BaseEllington Field (EFD) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 7 | 40.00 miles (64.38 km) NNE | Lone Star Executive Airport (CXO) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 8 | 43.21 miles (69.54 km) E | Baytown Airport (HPY) | Baytown, Texas, United States | |
| 9 | 48.56 miles (78.15 km) SW | Wharton Regional Airport (WHT) | Wharton, Texas, United States | |
| 10 | 50.64 miles (81.50 km) SSE | Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport (LJN) | Angleton / Lake Jackson, Texas, United States | |
| 11 | 59.50 miles (95.76 km) S | Bay City Municipal Airport (BBC) | Bay City, Texas, United States | |
| 12 | 61.99 miles (99.76 km) SE | Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS) | Galveston, Texas, United States | |
| 13 | 64.36 miles (103.58 km) N | Bruce Brothers Huntsville Regional Airport (HTV) | Huntsville, Texas, United States | |
| 14 | 67.36 miles (108.40 km) NW | Easterwood Airport (CLL) | College Station, Texas, United States | |
| 15 | 73.41 miles (118.14 km) NNW | Coulter Field (CFD) | Bryan, Texas, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,978.58 miles (17,668.27 km) SW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,952.82 miles (17,626.82 km) ESE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,653.72 miles (17,145.45 km) ESE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 10,634.50 miles (17,114.52 km) W | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,622.80 miles (17,095.70 km) W | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,615.95 miles (17,084.67 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,610.33 miles (17,075.63 km) W | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,609.04 miles (17,073.55 km) W | Carnarvon Airport (CVQ) | Carnarvon, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,604.64 miles (17,066.48 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,598.75 miles (17,056.99 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,586.79 miles (17,037.74 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,582.60 miles (17,030.99 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,567.23 miles (17,006.26 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,561.50 miles (16,997.04 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,558.05 miles (16,991.49 km) W | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 65.24 miles (104.99 km) WSW | Candala Airport (CXN) | Candala, Somalia | |
| 2 | 118.02 miles (189.93 km) WSW | Bender Qassim International Airport (BSA) | Boosaaso, Somalia | |
| 3 | 208.39 miles (335.37 km) NNW | Riyan Airport (MKX) | Mukalla, Yemen | |
| 4 | 245.16 miles (394.55 km) WSW | Erigavo Airport (ERA) | Erigavo, Somalia | |
| 5 | 306.49 miles (493.25 km) NNW | Sayun AirportSeiyun Airport (GXF) | Seiyun, Yemen | |
| 6 | 307.79 miles (495.35 km) NNE | Al Ghaydha Airport (AAY) | Al Ghaydah, Yemen | |
| 7 | 318.83 miles (513.10 km) NW | Ataq Airport (AXK) | Ataq, Yemen | |
| 8 | 390.09 miles (627.79 km) WSW | Burao Airport (BUO) | Burao, Somalia | |
| 9 | 390.22 miles (628.00 km) WNW | Beihan Airport (BHN) | Beihan, Yemen | |
| 10 | 390.62 miles (628.63 km) W | Aden International Airport (ADE) | Aden, Yemen | |
| 11 | 408.28 miles (657.06 km) WSW | Berbera Airport (BBO) | Berbera, Somalia | |
| 12 | 416.18 miles (669.77 km) NNE | Salalah Airport (SLL) | Salalah, Oman | |
| 13 | 422.34 miles (679.69 km) SSW | Abdullahi Yusuf International Airport (GLK) | Galcaio, Somalia | |
| 14 | 460.95 miles (741.82 km) WNW | Ta'izz International Airport (TAI) | Ta'izz, Yemen | |
| 15 | 481.07 miles (774.21 km) SSW | Obbia Airport (CMO) | Obbia, Somalia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,758.86 miles (18,924.00 km) SE | Pukarua Airport (PUK) | Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 2 | 11,757.45 miles (18,921.73 km) ESE | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 11,626.36 miles (18,710.77 km) SE | Nukutavake Airport (NUK) | Nukutavake, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,612.28 miles (18,688.11 km) ESE | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,583.49 miles (18,641.77 km) SSE | Totegegie Airport (GMR) | Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 11,570.24 miles (18,620.44 km) SE | Tureira Airport (ZTA) | Tureia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,549.81 miles (18,587.57 km) ESE | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 11,506.59 miles (18,518.01 km) ESE | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 11,421.16 miles (18,380.53 km) ESE | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 11,301.67 miles (18,188.22 km) ESE | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 11,292.82 miles (18,173.99 km) E | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 11,288.49 miles (18,167.02 km) ESE | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 11,280.53 miles (18,154.20 km) E | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 11,258.76 miles (18,119.17 km) ESE | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 11,248.92 miles (18,103.33 km) ESE | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |