Nonstop flight route between Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,725 miles (or 4,385 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Eielson Air Force Base, 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Eielson Air Force Base. 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC):

• Because of Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport's relatively low elevation of 756 feet, planes can take off or land at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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.
• Today the airport is used for corporate and recreational aviation.
• Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) has 2 runways.
• Construction on runway 1-19 is complete and both runways are in use to their full length.
• This airport replaced Richards Field as Kansas City's main airport.
• The closest airport to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) NNW of MKC.
• The furthest airport from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,758 miles (17,313 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Despite concerns about the airport being unsafe, Air Force One frequently uses it during Presidential visits.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• The Cold War seen the use of Eielson's expansive reservation as a maneuver area for the U.S.
• The base reopened in September 1946, once again as a satellite of Ladd Field.
• The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
• Today the 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division and the 4th Brigade 25th Infantry Division can be found training there.
• Headquarters USAF General Order 2, dated 13 January 1948, redesignated Mile 26 as Eielson AFB.
• The 6th SW remained at Eielson AFB until 1992.
• The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• The 375th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, from the 308th Bombardment Group at Tinker AFB Oklahoma, arrived at Eielson on 5 March 1949.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• The host unit at Eielson is the 354th Fighter Wing assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force.
• Until 2007, Eielson was a front line base, deploying fighter and bomber units around the world as well as providing for the defense of Alaska.