Nonstop flight route between Houston, Texas, United States and Fairford, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W)
Arrival Airport:
(51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W)
Distance from IWS to FFD:
4,787.16 miles (7,704.18 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- IWS Airport Information
- FFD Airport Information
- Facts about IWS
- Facts about FFD
- 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 FFD
- List of Nearest Airports to FFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from FFD
- List of Furthest Airports from FFD
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas, United States and RAF Fairford (FFD), Fairford, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,787 miles (or 7,704 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 RAF Fairford, 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 RAF Fairford. 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: | FFD / EGVA |
| Airport Name: | RAF Fairford |
| Location: | Fairford, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°40'55"N by 1°47'24"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from FFD |
| More Information: | FFD Maps & Info |
Facts about West Houston Airport (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.
- 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.
- On January 3, 2012, a pilot flying a 1985 Cessna 172P with a 180 HP engine from West Houston Airport to Lone Star Executive Airport reported losing power to her aircraft.
- The new sign at the entrance
- The closest airport to West Houston Airport (IWS) is Andrau Airpark (AAP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) SE of IWS.
Facts about RAF Fairford (FFD):
- RAF Fairford was the only TransOceanic Abort Landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle in the UK.
- KC-135 and KC-10 tankers deployed to Fairford supported Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya in 1986.
- In the early years of the Cold War the British and American governments reached an agreement under which elements of the USAF Strategic Air Command would be based in the UK.
- The furthest airport from RAF Fairford (FFD) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,898 miles (19,148 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to RAF Fairford (FFD) is RAF Brize Norton (BZZ), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ENE of FFD.
| 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 | 10.00 miles (16.09 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 15.02 miles (24.17 km) SW | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.77 miles (36.64 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 36.28 miles (58.38 km) WSW | Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 42.33 miles (68.12 km) E | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 44.98 miles (72.38 km) WSW | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 47.23 miles (76.02 km) SE | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 47.50 miles (76.44 km) ESE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 47.84 miles (76.99 km) SE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 49.48 miles (79.64 km) NNE | Coventry Airport (CVT) | Coventry, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 50.42 miles (81.15 km) ENE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 51.85 miles (83.45 km) ESE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 53.35 miles (85.85 km) N | Birmingham Airport (BHX) | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 53.92 miles (86.78 km) SSE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,897.99 miles (19,147.91 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,874.86 miles (19,110.69 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,869.65 miles (19,102.31 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,860.18 miles (19,087.07 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,839.51 miles (19,053.79 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,834.41 miles (19,045.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,833.87 miles (19,044.72 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,822.95 miles (19,027.15 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,812.41 miles (19,010.18 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,804.61 miles (18,997.63 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,803.98 miles (18,996.62 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,782.42 miles (18,961.92 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,774.40 miles (18,949.02 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,761.76 miles (18,928.67 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,760.44 miles (18,926.54 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |