Nonstop flight route between Mackay, Queensland, Australia and Waterloo, Iowa, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mackay Airport (MKY), Mackay, Queensland, Australia and Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO), Waterloo, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,625 miles (or 13,881 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 Mackay Airport and Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field), 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 Mackay Airport and Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field). 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 Mackay Airport (MKY):

• Mackay Airport had grass landing strips until 1940, when the Commonwealth Government extended the airport's boundaries and upgraded the runways to unsealed gravel for use during World War II.
• Because of Mackay Airport's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at Mackay 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.
• Mackay Airport (MKY) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Mackay Airport (MKY) is Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO), which is located 11,973 miles (19,269 kilometers) away in Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde.
• In November 2008, Mackay Airport was sold to a private consortium to fund the development of Mackay Hospital.
• The closest airport to Mackay Airport (MKY) is Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI), which is located 58 miles (94 kilometers) NNW of MKY.
• Moves to establish an airport at Mackay began in 1927, when Captain Ron Adair selected the site of the town commons for the construction of an aerodrome, and landed the first plane in Mackay there, his own Avro biplane.
• The airport attracts a diverse range of carriers to service the travel needs of the business, commercial, industrial, leisure and visiting friends and relatives sectors.
• Mackay Airport handled 1,049,172 passengers last year.

Facts about Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO):

• Airline flights to Waterloo started in 1946-47 on Mid-Continent.
• The closest airport to Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO) is Northeast Iowa Regional Airport (CCY), which is located 37 miles (60 kilometers) NNW of ALO.
• Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,839 miles (17,443 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field)'s relatively low elevation of 873 feet, planes can take off or land at Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) 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.
• Northwest flew mechanics to Waterloo to inspect the Boeing 757 and arranged for an extra flight for the stranded passengers.