Nonstop flight route between Lübeck (near Hamburg), Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lübeck Airport (LBC), Lübeck (near Hamburg), Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,479 miles (or 7,209 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 Lübeck Airport and Des Moines 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 Lübeck Airport and Des Moines 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 Lübeck Airport (LBC):

• Lübeck Airport handled 537,835 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Lübeck Airport", another name for LBC is "Flughafen Lübeck".
• A new ILS CAT II system went operational in February 2014 allowing planes to operate at the airport in more difficult weather conditions.
• The furthest airport from Lübeck Airport (LBC) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,674 miles (18,787 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The construction of the airport began in 1916 and was completed in 1917.
• The closest airport to Lübeck Airport (LBC) is Hamburg Airport (HAM), which is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) WSW of LBC.
• Because of Lübeck Airport's relatively low elevation of 53 feet, planes can take off or land at Lübeck 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.
• In June 2014 Ryanair announced to leave Lübeck Airport as of October 2014 due to the airport's uncertain future.
• Lübeck Airport (LBC) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):

• Des Moines International Airport covers 2,625 acres at an elevation of 958 feet above mean sea level.
• The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
• Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines 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.
• During the 1920s the Des Moines area had several small private airports for general aviation and airmail.
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
• The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
• On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
• The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
• In 2012, the airport had 1,038,484 enplanementsFederal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 919,990 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 853,596 in 2009 and 932,828 in 2011.
• The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.