Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Jakar, Bumthang, Bhutan:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MSL to BUT:
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- BUT Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about BUT
- Map of Nearest Airports to MSL
- List of Nearest Airports to MSL
- Map of Furthest Airports from MSL
- List of Furthest Airports from MSL
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUT
- List of Nearest Airports to BUT
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUT
- List of Furthest Airports from BUT
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Bathpalathang Airport (BUT), Jakar, Bumthang, Bhutan would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,130 miles (or 13,085 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Bathpalathang Airport, 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 Northwest Alabama Regional Airport and Bathpalathang Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MSL / KMSL |
Airport Name: | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport |
Location: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W |
Area Served: | Muscle Shoals, Alabama |
Operator/Owner: | Colbert & Lauderdale Counties |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 551 feet (168 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from MSL |
More Information: | MSL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | BUT / VQBT |
Airport Name: | Bathpalathang Airport |
Location: | Jakar, Bumthang, Bhutan |
GPS Coordinates: | 27°33'46"N by 90°44'47"E |
Area Served: | Jakar, Bhutan |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 8858 feet (2,700 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from BUT |
More Information: | BUT Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport covers an area of 640 acres at an elevation of 551 feet above mean sea level.
- Because of Northwest Alabama Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 551 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Alabama 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 furthest airport from Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,143 miles (17,932 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The airport was opened in February 1940, however in 1942 it was taken over by the United States Army Air Forces as a World War II pilot training military airfield.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) is Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) E of MSL.
Facts about Bathpalathang Airport (BUT):
- Bathpalathang Airport (BUT) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Bathpalathang Airport (BUT) is La Florida Airport (LSC), which is located 11,332 miles (18,237 kilometers) away in La Serena, Chile.
- The closest airport to Bathpalathang Airport (BUT) is Paro International Airport (PBH), which is located 82 miles (132 kilometers) W of BUT.
- Airport construction at Bathpalathang met several delays, including soil instability under the runway, funding, labor and material shortages, and nearby river protection and diversion, each of which underpinned the ultimate success of any airport at the site.
- Because of Bathpalathang Airport's high elevation of 8,858 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at BUT. Combined with a high temperature, this could make BUT a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.