Nonstop flight route between West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Al Najaf, Iraq:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Purdue University Airport (LAF), West Lafayette, Indiana, United States and Al Najaf International Airport (NJF), Al Najaf, Iraq would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,548 miles (or 10,538 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 Purdue University Airport and Al Najaf International 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 Purdue University Airport and Al Najaf International Airport. 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 Purdue University Airport (LAF):

• Evergreen International maintained a short-lived cargo operation at the Airport in the late 1970s using Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprop aircraft.
• Purdue University Airport also had its own airline, Purdue Airlines in the 1960s and 1970s.
• Purdue University Airport (LAF) has 2 runways.
• Runway 23 has a displaced threshold, which shortens the runway to 3,913 ft for landing operations.
• FedEx donated a 727 to Purdue, which is taxied through the airport every once in a while.
• The closest airport to Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Kentland Municipal Airport (KKT), which is located 35 miles (57 kilometers) NW of LAF.
• President Ronald Reagan and Air Force One visited Purdue University Airport on April 9, 1987.
• Because of Purdue University Airport's relatively low elevation of 606 feet, planes can take off or land at Purdue University 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 furthest airport from Purdue University Airport (LAF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,148 miles (17,941 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 1,959 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 1,518 enplanements in 2009, and 1,405 in 2010.

Facts about Al Najaf International Airport (NJF):

• The furthest airport from Al Najaf International Airport (NJF) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,820 miles (19,022 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Al Najaf International Airport (NJF) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Al Najaf International Airport (NJF) is Baghdad International Airport (BGW), which is located 88 miles (142 kilometers) N of NJF.
• The Najaf Governorate represented by the Deputy Governor Abd al-Husayn Abtan and Najaf Investment Commission signed a Memorandum of Agreement dated 24 June 2008 with Al-Aqeelah Holding authorizing it for one year to finalize the construction of the airport and five years subject to renewal to manage the airport.
• On 20 July 2008 the Najaf Authorities hosted the ceremonial opening attended by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki who stepped out of the first official plane.