Nonstop flight route between Medford, Oregon, United States and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR), Medford, Oregon, United States and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,925 miles (or 4,707 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 Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport and Eareckson Air Station, 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 Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport and Eareckson Air Station. 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 Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR):

• By passenger count Medford Airport is the third busiest airport in Oregon with 313,638 enplanements in 2012.
• Horizon Air Bombardier Q400 turboprops are on all of their flights at Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport, with nonstops to Portland, Seattle/Tacoma and Los Angeles.
• The furthest airport from Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,106 miles (17,874 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR) is Siskiyou County Airport (SIY), which is located 46 miles (74 kilometers) SSE of MFR.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• With the successful completion of the Aleutian Campaign in August 1943, Eleventh Air Force came within striking distance of the Japanese Kurile Islands, the northernmost being 750 miles to the south-southwest of Shemya.
• By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.
• The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• In 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".