Nonstop flight route between McAlester, Oklahoma, United States and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McAlester Regional Airport (MLC), McAlester, Oklahoma, United States and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,942 miles (or 4,735 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 McAlester Regional 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 McAlester Regional 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 McAlester Regional Airport (MLC):

• The furthest airport from McAlester Regional Airport (MLC) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,791 miles (17,366 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to McAlester Regional Airport (MLC) is Antlers Municipal Airport (ATE), which is located 48 miles (78 kilometers) S of MLC.
• Because of McAlester Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 770 feet, planes can take off or land at McAlester Regional 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.
• The airport was fairly new in 1952 when Braniff and Central DC-3s stopped there.
• McAlester Regional Airport (MLC) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• On 7 June 1943, the Western Defense Command ordered construction of a new airfield near present-day Fort Wainwright, then an Army airfield named after Major Arthur Ladd.
• The 6th SW flew RC–135 strategic reconnaissance missions with an assigned squadron, and, with KC–135s deployed to Eielson from SAC, AFRES, and the ANG, conducted Alaska Tanker Task Force missions to support reconnaissance and numerous exercises for the Air Force and Navy.
• Eielson is home to the 354th Fighter Wing which is part of the Eleventh Air Force of Pacific Air Forces.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• The Air Defense Command deployed interceptors to Eielson during the 1960s.
• 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.
• A month later, contractors and civilian crews from Ladd Field started laying out the new airfield.
• 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.