Nonstop flight route between Watson Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MPB to NQX:
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- About this route
- MPB Airport Information
- NQX Airport Information
- Facts about MPB
- Facts about NQX
- Map of Nearest Airports to MPB
- List of Nearest Airports to MPB
- Map of Furthest Airports from MPB
- List of Furthest Airports from MPB
- Map of Nearest Airports to NQX
- List of Nearest Airports to NQX
- Map of Furthest Airports from NQX
- List of Furthest Airports from NQX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Miami Seaplane Base (MPB), Watson Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 126 miles (or 203 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 relatively short distance between Miami Seaplane Base and NAS Key West, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MPB / |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Watson Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 25°46'41"N by 80°10'13"W |
Area Served: | Miami, Florida |
Operator/Owner: | City of Miami Property Mgmt Section |
Airport Type: | Public use |
Elevation: | 0 feet (0 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from MPB |
More Information: | MPB Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | NQX / KNQX |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 24°34'32"N by 81°41'20"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Navy |
Airport Type: | Military: Naval Air Station |
Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from NQX |
More Information: | NQX Maps & Info |
Facts about Miami Seaplane Base (MPB):
- Because of Miami Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Miami Seaplane Base 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 closest airport to Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) is Miami International Airport (MIA), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) W of MPB.
- In addition to being known as "Miami Seaplane Base", another name for MPB is "X44".
- Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,582 miles (18,640 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):
- By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land.
- Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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 addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
- After World War I, the base was decommissioned and its personnel were transferred or released.
- The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
- In 1973, Reconnaissance Attack Wing 1 began relocation from the closing NAS Albany, Georgia with its RA-5C Vigilante, TA-3B Skywarrior and TA-4F/J Skyhawk II aircraft.
- NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
- NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art training facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services, with perfect flying weather year round and unparalleled aerial ranges that offer aircrew training within minutes after takeoff.
- The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The nation's southernmost Naval Base proved to be an ideal year-round training facility with rapid access to the open sea lanes and ideal flying conditions for Naval Aviation.
- After World War II ended, NAS Key West was retained as a training facility.