Nonstop flight route between Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Sofia, Bulgaria:
Departure Airport:
(61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W)
Arrival Airport:
(42°41'42"N by 23°24'29"E)
Distance from MRI to SOF:
5,247.41 miles (8,444.86 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MRI Airport Information
- SOF Airport Information
- Facts about MRI
- Facts about SOF
- Map of Nearest Airports to MRI
- List of Nearest Airports to MRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from MRI
- List of Furthest Airports from MRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to SOF
- List of Nearest Airports to SOF
- Map of Furthest Airports from SOF
- List of Furthest Airports from SOF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States and Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna (SOF), Sofia, Bulgaria would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,247 miles (or 8,445 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 Merrill Field and Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna, 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 Merrill Field and Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MRI / PAMR |
| Airport Name: | Merrill Field |
| Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Municipality of Anchorage |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 137 feet (42 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MRI |
| More Information: | MRI Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SOF / LBSF |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Sofia, Bulgaria |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°41'42"N by 23°24'29"E |
| Area Served: | Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Operator/Owner: | Sofia Airport EAD |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1742 feet (531 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SOF |
| More Information: | SOF Maps & Info |
Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):
- Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill 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.
- The offices of the Alaska Dispatch, parent company of the Anchorage Daily News, are located on Merrill Field.
- The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
- The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
Facts about Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna (SOF):
- In addition to being known as "Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna", other names for SOF include "Vrazhdebna Airport" and "Летище София".
- The closest airport to Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna (SOF) is Plovdiv Airport (PDV), which is located 86 miles (138 kilometers) ESE of SOF.
- The furthest airport from Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna (SOF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,437 miles (18,405 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- On 31 August 2006, Sofia Airport put its new runway system into operation, replacing the old and out-of-date facilities.
- According to the plan a new Sofia airport terminal was built to the east of the old terminal and a second runway was constructed alongside the existing one.
- Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna (SOF) currently has only 1 runway.
- In mid-2012 the airport will have one of the most modern and most beautiful airport towers in Europe.
- Sofia Airport Vrazhdebna handled 350,432 passengers last year.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 2.90 miles (4.67 km) NNE | Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |     |
| 2 | 5.80 miles (9.34 km) WSW | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 7.15 miles (11.51 km) ENE | Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) | Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 22.31 miles (35.90 km) N | Big Lake Airport (BGQ) | Big Lake, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 26.74 miles (43.03 km) NNE | Wasilla Airport (WWA) | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 36.32 miles (58.45 km) NE | Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) | Palmer, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 37.97 miles (61.11 km) N | Willow Airport (WOW) | Willow, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 40.08 miles (64.50 km) W | Beluga Airport (BVU) | Beluga, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 44.16 miles (71.07 km) WSW | Tyonek Airport (TYE) | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 64.59 miles (103.94 km) SW | Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA) | Kenai, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 64.95 miles (104.53 km) SW | Soldotna Airport (SXQ) | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 68.25 miles (109.83 km) NW | Skwentna Airport (SKW) | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 76.45 miles (123.03 km) S | Seward Airport (SWD) | Seward, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 76.92 miles (123.78 km) N | Talkeetna Airport (TKA) | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 100.50 miles (161.74 km) SE | Chenega Bay Airport (NCN) | Chenega, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,544.63 miles (16,969.89 km) S | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,525.45 miles (16,939.03 km) SSE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,520.13 miles (16,930.47 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,487.04 miles (16,877.21 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,485.53 miles (16,874.79 km) SSE | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,385.90 miles (16,714.44 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,339.51 miles (16,639.79 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,271.51 miles (16,530.36 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 10,266.85 miles (16,522.86 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,262.29 miles (16,515.51 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,261.70 miles (16,514.56 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,255.71 miles (16,504.92 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 10,253.23 miles (16,500.93 km) S | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 14 | 10,239.74 miles (16,479.22 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,229.95 miles (16,463.47 km) S | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 86.04 miles (138.47 km) ESE | Plovdiv Airport (PDV) | Plovdiv, Bulgaria | |
| 2 | 90.21 miles (145.17 km) WNW | Niš Constantine the Great International Airport (INI) | Niš, Serbia | |
| 3 | 104.17 miles (167.64 km) WSW | Skopje Airport (SKP) | Skopje, Macedonia | |
| 4 | 114.70 miles (184.58 km) NNE | Craiova International Airport (CRA) | Craiova, Romania | |
| 5 | 116.49 miles (187.47 km) E | Stara Zagora Airport (SZR) | Stara Zagora, Bulgaria | |
| 6 | 120.78 miles (194.38 km) ENE | Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport (GOZ) | Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bulgaria | |
| 7 | 120.89 miles (194.55 km) W | Pristina International Airport "Adem Jashari" (PRN) | Pristina, Kosovo | |
| 8 | 121.98 miles (196.31 km) ESE | Haskovo Malevo Airport (HKV) | Haskovo, Bulgaria | |
| 9 | 137.99 miles (222.08 km) SSE | Kavala International Airport "Alexander The Great" (KVA) | Kavala, Greece | |
| 10 | 150.23 miles (241.78 km) ENE | Ruse Airport (ROU) | Rousse, Bulgaria | |
| 11 | 150.69 miles (242.52 km) E | Bezmer Air Base (JAM) | Yambol (Jambol), Bulgaria | |
| 12 | 151.99 miles (244.60 km) S | Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) | Thessaloniki, Greece | |
| 13 | 172.42 miles (277.48 km) SW | Ohrid Airport (OHD) | Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia | |
| 14 | 180.14 miles (289.91 km) W | Dolac Airport (IVG) | Berane, Montenegro | |
| 15 | 182.69 miles (294.02 km) SE | Alexandroupolis International Airport (AXD) | Alexandroupolis, Greece | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,436.55 miles (18,405.29 km) E | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,080.97 miles (17,833.04 km) E | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,042.80 miles (17,771.62 km) E | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,008.76 miles (17,716.84 km) E | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,008.49 miles (17,716.41 km) E | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,004.83 miles (17,710.51 km) SSW | Rurutu Airport (RUR) | Rurutu, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 10,997.71 miles (17,699.06 km) S | Mangaia Island Airport (MGS) | Mangaia Island, Cook Islands | |
| 8 | 10,996.07 miles (17,696.41 km) E | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 10,986.67 miles (17,681.28 km) E | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 10,983.29 miles (17,675.84 km) E | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 10,974.71 miles (17,662.04 km) E | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 10,972.38 miles (17,658.28 km) E | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 10,966.07 miles (17,648.14 km) E | Tauranga Airport (TRG) | Tauranga, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 10,959.16 miles (17,637.01 km) E | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 10,944.51 miles (17,613.43 km) E | Matamata Airport (MTA) | Matamata, New Zealand | |