Nonstop flight route between Minot, North Dakota, United States and Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Minot Air Force Base (MIB), Minot, North Dakota, United States and Balakovo Airport (BWO), Balakovo, Saratov Oblast, Russia would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,274 miles (or 8,487 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 Minot Air Force Base and Balakovo 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 Minot Air Force Base and Balakovo 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 Minot Air Force Base (MIB):

• In July 1968, the 450th Bombardment Wing and 455th Strategic Missile Wing were inactivated, being from Travis AFB, California, when jurisdiction of Travis was assumed by the Military Airlift Command and the 91st Strategic Missile Wing from Glasgow AFB, Montana, when it closed.
• The scope of operations grew as the Air Force transferred the 525th Bombardment Squadron from the 19th Bombardment Wing at Homestead AFB, Florida, on 8 March 1961, followed by the first B-52H Stratofortress on 10 July 1961, nicknamed "Peace Persuader".
• In addition to being known as "Minot Air Force Base", another name for MIB is "Minot AFB".
• The furthest airport from Minot Air Force Base (MIB) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,320 miles (16,609 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The 91st Operations Group is the operational backbone of the 91st Missile Wing, with its mission to defend the United States with safe and secure Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles – ready to immediately put bombs on target.
• The closest airport to Minot Air Force Base (MIB) is Minot International Airport (MOT), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) SSE of MIB.
• On 1 June 1992, Air Combat Command was formed, following the inactivation of the Strategic Air Command.

Facts about Balakovo Airport (BWO):

• The closest airport to Balakovo Airport (BWO) is Tsentralny Airport (RTW), which is located 76 miles (122 kilometers) WSW of BWO.
• The furthest airport from Balakovo Airport (BWO) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 10,444 miles (16,809 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• In addition to being known as "Balakovo Airport", another name for BWO is "Аэропорт Балаково".
• Balakovo Airport (BWO) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Balakovo Airport's relatively low elevation of 95 feet, planes can take off or land at Balakovo 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.