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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN), Jackson, Mississippi, United States and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,293 miles (or 5,300 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 Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers 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 Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers 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 Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN):

• In the early 1990s, the airfield's name became "Jackson International Airport" since it has facilities for international flights.
• Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) has 2 runways.
• In the 1960s, Southern Airways Martin 404s connected Jackson with Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenwood, Columbus, Laurel, and New Orleans, but in the 1970s Southern replaced these with McDonnell Douglas DC-9s.
• The furthest airport from Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,979 miles (17,669 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• What is now Jackson–Evers International Airport opened in 1963, a new airport to replace Hawkins Field, Jackson's airport since 1928.
• The closest airport to Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) is Hawkins Field (HKS), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) W of JAN.
• The 172d Airlift Wing of the Mississippi Air National Guard has also maintained an Air National Guard base on the airport since 1963, having relocated that year from nearby Hawkins Field.
• Because of Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport's relatively low elevation of 346 feet, planes can take off or land at Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers 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.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• On 28 July 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four air crew members.
• 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 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.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
• Despite a diminished number of personnel and aircraft, a turning point in Elmendorf's history occurred in 1970 with the arrival of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron in June 1970 from MacDill AFB, Florida.
• The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941.