Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Qiemo, Xinjiang, China:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(38°8'57"N by 85°31'58"E)
Distance from MSL to IQM:
7,381.13 miles (11,878.75 km)
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- IQM Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about IQM
- 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 IQM
- List of Nearest Airports to IQM
- Map of Furthest Airports from IQM
- List of Furthest Airports from IQM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Qiemo Airport (IQM), Qiemo, Xinjiang, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,381 miles (or 11,879 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 Qiemo 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 Qiemo 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: | IQM / ZWCM |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Qiemo, Xinjiang, China |
| GPS Coordinates: | 38°8'57"N by 85°31'58"E |
| Area Served: | Qiemo, Xinjiang, China |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 4108 feet (1,252 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IQM |
| More Information: | IQM Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- 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.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- Historically, Muscle Shoals was served by Southern Airways which operated Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jetliners on nonstop and direct flights to Atlanta.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Qiemo Airport (IQM):
- In addition to being known as "Qiemo Airport", other names for IQM include "且末机场" and "Qiěmò Jīchǎng".
- Qiemo Airport (IQM) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Qiemo Airport's high elevation of 4,108 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at IQM. Combined with a high temperature, this could make IQM a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Qiemo Airport (IQM) is Pupelde Airfield (ZUD), which is located 11,316 miles (18,211 kilometers) away in Ancud, Los Lagos Region, Chile.
- The closest airport to Qiemo Airport (IQM) is Korla Airport (KRL), which is located 242 miles (389 kilometers) N of IQM.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) E | Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) | Decatur, Alabama, United States |     |
| 2 | 48.04 miles (77.31 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 48.69 miles (78.35 km) SSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 4 | 52.77 miles (84.92 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 57.54 miles (92.61 km) WNW | Roscoe Turner Airport (CRX) | Corinth, Mississippi, United States | |
| 6 | 60.98 miles (98.14 km) NNE | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 63.15 miles (101.63 km) ENE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 8 | 73.81 miles (118.78 km) WSW | Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP) | Tupelo, Mississippi, United States | |
| 9 | 76.02 miles (122.34 km) N | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 86.70 miles (139.52 km) NE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 11 | 88.71 miles (142.77 km) ENE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 12 | 89.78 miles (144.49 km) SSW | Columbus Air Force Base (CBM) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| 13 | 94.44 miles (151.99 km) NW | McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL) | Jackson, Tennessee, United States | |
| 14 | 95.23 miles (153.26 km) SSE | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 15 | 98.80 miles (159.01 km) SSW | Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (UBS) | Columbus, Mississippi, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,142.65 miles (17,932.31 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,122.93 miles (17,900.57 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,103.49 miles (17,869.29 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,090.79 miles (17,848.85 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,087.23 miles (17,843.13 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,084.36 miles (17,838.50 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,072.96 miles (17,820.15 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,066.34 miles (17,809.50 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,065.40 miles (17,807.98 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,059.28 miles (17,798.14 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,036.88 miles (17,762.10 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,012.40 miles (17,722.70 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,003.51 miles (17,708.39 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,999.24 miles (17,701.51 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,995.36 miles (17,695.27 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 241.72 miles (389.00 km) N | Korla Airport (KRL) | Korla, Xinjiang, China | |
| 2 | 281.01 miles (452.25 km) NNW | Kuqa Qiuci Airport (KCA) | Kuqa, Xinjiang, China | |
| 3 | 319.58 miles (514.32 km) WSW | Hotan Airport (HTN) | Hotan, Xinjiang, China | |
| 4 | 351.85 miles (566.25 km) NW | Aksu Airport (AKU) | Aksu, Xinjiang, China | |
| 5 | 381.99 miles (614.76 km) NNW | Nalati Airport (NLT) | Künes, Xinjiang, China | |
| 6 | 385.63 miles (620.61 km) NNE | Turpan Jiaohe Airport (TLQ) | Turpan, Xinjiang, China | |
| 7 | 410.46 miles (660.57 km) NNE | Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport (URC) | Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China | |
| 8 | 456.89 miles (735.29 km) NNW | Yining Airport (YIN) | Yining, Xinjiang, China | |
| 9 | 495.06 miles (796.72 km) NNW | Bole Alashankou Airport (BPL) | Bole, Xinjiang, China | |
| 10 | 506.43 miles (815.02 km) N | Karamay Airport (KRY) | Karamay, Xinjiang, China | |
| 11 | 515.79 miles (830.09 km) ENE | Dunhuang Airport (DNH) | Dunhuang, Gansu, China | |
| 12 | 519.48 miles (836.01 km) SW | Ngari Gunsa Airport (NGQ) | Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China | |
| 13 | 520.62 miles (837.85 km) WNW | Kashgar Airport (KHG) | Kashgar, Xinjiang, China | |
| 14 | 522.65 miles (841.12 km) E | Golmud Airport (GOQ) | Golmud, Qinghai, China | |
| 15 | 524.55 miles (844.17 km) WSW | Kushok Bakula Rimpochhe Airport (IXL) | Leh, India | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,315.82 miles (18,211.00 km) WSW | Pupelde Airfield (ZUD) | Ancud, Los Lagos Region, Chile | |
| 2 | 11,309.45 miles (18,200.75 km) WSW | Gamboa Airport (WCA) | Castro, Chile | |
| 3 | 11,307.91 miles (18,198.28 km) WSW | Mocopulli Airport (MHC) | Castro, Los Lagos, Chile | |
| 4 | 11,285.17 miles (18,161.68 km) WSW | Pichoy Airport (ZAL) | Valdivia, Chile | |
| 5 | 11,285.13 miles (18,161.61 km) SE | Mataveri International Airport (IPC) | Easter Island, Chile | |
| 6 | 11,283.91 miles (18,159.64 km) WSW | Cañal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport (ZOS) | Osorno, Chile | |
| 7 | 11,282.73 miles (18,157.75 km) WSW | El Tepual International Airport (PMC) | Puerto Montt, Chile | |
| 8 | 11,282.62 miles (18,157.57 km) WSW | Frutillar Airport (FRT) | Frutillar, Chile | |
| 9 | 11,261.67 miles (18,123.86 km) W | Carriel Sur International Airport (CCP) | Concepción, Bío Bío Region, Chile | |
| 10 | 11,257.73 miles (18,117.52 km) W | Maquehue Airport (ZCO) | Temuco, Araucanía, Chile | |
| 11 | 11,250.85 miles (18,106.45 km) WSW | Chaitén Airfield (WCH) | Chaitén, Los Lagos, Chile | |
| 12 | 11,238.63 miles (18,086.78 km) W | Victoria Airport (ZIC) | Victoria, Araucanía, Chile | |
| 13 | 11,221.98 miles (18,059.98 km) W | Pucón Airport (ZPC) | Pucón, Chile | |
| 14 | 11,203.04 miles (18,029.50 km) W | General Bernardo O'Higgins Airport (YAI) | Chillán, Ñuble, Chile | |
| 15 | 11,199.69 miles (18,024.11 km) WSW | El Bolsón Airport (EHL) | El Bolsón, Río Negro, Argentina | |