Nonstop flight route between Murcia, Spain and Okinawa Prefecture, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV), Murcia, Spain and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA), Okinawa Prefecture, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,894 miles (or 11,095 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 Murcia–San Javier Airport and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō, 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 Murcia–San Javier Airport and Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō. 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 Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV):

• Because of Murcia–San Javier Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Murcia–San Javier 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 light of the development of the new International airport of the Region of Murcia in Corvera, and despite the recent investment of €60 million in a new runway and commercial terminal buildings, in November 2011 the Minister of Public Works Antonio Sevilla, and Secretary of State for Transport Isaías Táboas, signed an official agreement that effectively proposed to close the airport to commercial traffic from summer 2012.
• Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Murcia–San Javier Airport", another name for MJV is "Aeropuerto de Murcia-San Javier".
• The furthest airport from Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) is Gisborne Airport (GIS), which is nearly antipodal to Murcia–San Javier Airport (meaning Murcia–San Javier Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gisborne Airport), and is located 12,347 miles (19,870 kilometers) away in Gisborne, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) is Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), which is located 38 miles (61 kilometers) NNE of MJV.

Facts about Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA):

• Twentieth Air Force became the command and control organization for Kadena on 16 May 1949.
• In addition to being known as "Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō", another name for DNA is "Kadena AFB".
• The Korean War emphasized the need for maintaining a naval presence in Okinawa.
• Beginning in 1961, the 18th was sending its tactical squadrons frequently to South Vietnam and Thailand, initially with its RF-101 reconnaissance forces, and beginning in 1964 with its tactical fighter forces supporting USAF combat missions in the Vietnam War.
• In June 2013, the government of Japan discovered 22 barrels buried on former base property that tests showed had previously contained dioxins and herbicides.
• Twentieth Air Force was inactivated in March 1955.
• The furthest airport from Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) is Paulo Abdala Airport (FBE), which is nearly antipodal to Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (meaning Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Paulo Abdala Airport), and is located 12,381 miles (19,926 kilometers) away in Francisco Beltrao, Paraná, Brazil.
• The closest airport to Kadena Air Base 嘉手納飛行場 Kadena Hikōjō (DNA) is Naha Airport (OKA), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SW of DNA.
• Upon its reassignment to the Pacific Theater, Eighth Air Force was assigned to the U.S.