Nonstop flight route between Luang Prabang, Laos and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ), Luang Prabang, Laos and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,972 miles (or 6,392 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 Luang Prabang International Airport and Buka Island 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 Luang Prabang International Airport and Buka Island 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 Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ):

• Because of Luang Prabang International Airport's relatively low elevation of 955 feet, planes can take off or land at Luang Prabang 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.
• Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Luang Prabang International Airport (meaning Luang Prabang International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,040 miles (19,377 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.
• In addition to being known as "Luang Prabang International Airport", another name for LPQ is "ສະຫນາມບິນສາກົນຫຼວງພະບາງ".
• The closest airport to Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Sayaboury Airport (ZBY), which is located 54 miles (86 kilometers) SSW of LPQ.

Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In January 1944, the Allies drove the Japanese out of Buka, and the airfield was used for operations against the Japanese over New Guinea.
• The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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.