Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Tau, American Samoa:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(14°13'45"S by 169°30'39"W)
Distance from MSL to TAV:
6,328.76 miles (10,185.13 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- TAV Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about TAV
- 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 TAV
- List of Nearest Airports to TAV
- Map of Furthest Airports from TAV
- List of Furthest Airports from TAV
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Tau Airport (TAV), Tau, American Samoa would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,329 miles (or 10,185 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 Tau 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 Tau 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: | TAV / |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Tau, American Samoa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 14°13'45"S by 169°30'39"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Private Individuals |
| Airport Type: | Private |
| Elevation: | 185 feet (56 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TAV |
| More Information: | TAV Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL):
- 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.
- Prior to summer 2009, Muscle Shoals was served from Northwest Airlines' hub in Memphis via Northwest Airlink turboprop service operated by Mesaba Airlines.
- Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Tau Airport (TAV):
- The furthest airport from Tau Airport (TAV) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Tau Airport (meaning Tau Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,331 miles (19,845 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.
- Because of Tau Airport's relatively low elevation of 185 feet, planes can take off or land at Tau 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 closest airport to Tau Airport (TAV) is Fitiuta Airport (FTI), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) E of TAV.
- Tau Airport (TAV) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Tau Airport", other names for TAV include "none" and "HI36".
- Tau Airport is no longer active or in use since the development of Fitiuta Airport, located northeast of Tau Island.
| 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 | 5.93 miles (9.54 km) E | Fitiuta Airport (FTI) | Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States | |
| 2 | 11.08 miles (17.83 km) WNW | Ofu Airport (OFU) | Ofu, American Samoa | |
| 3 | 79.73 miles (128.31 km) W | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) | Pago Pago, American Samoa | |
| 4 | 151.81 miles (244.31 km) W | Fagali'i Airport (FGI) | Apia, Samoa | |
| 5 | 169.65 miles (273.03 km) W | Faleolo International Airport (APW) | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa | |
| 6 | 187.23 miles (301.32 km) W | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 7 | 214.97 miles (345.95 km) WNW | Asau Airport (AAU) | Asau, Samoa | |
| 8 | 336.28 miles (541.19 km) S | Niue International Airport (IUE) | Alofi, Niue | |
| 9 | 418.98 miles (674.28 km) WSW | Mata'aho Airport (NFO) | Niuafo'ou, Tonga | |
| 10 | 453.79 miles (730.31 km) W | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 11 | 498.65 miles (802.50 km) SW | Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga | |
| 12 | 572.85 miles (921.91 km) W | Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT) | Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 13 | 610.05 miles (981.79 km) SW | Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga | |
| 14 | 632.99 miles (1,018.69 km) ENE | Manihiki Island Airport (MHX) | Manihiki Island, Cook Islands | |
| 15 | 696.48 miles (1,120.87 km) WSW | Cicia Airport (ICI) | Cicia, Fiji | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,331.22 miles (19,845.12 km) ENE | Zinder Airport (ZND) | Zinder, Niger | |
| 2 | 12,236.32 miles (19,692.40 km) NE | Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (KAN) | Kano, Nigeria | |
| 3 | 12,204.69 miles (19,641.50 km) ENE | Maradi Airport (MFQ) | Maradi, Niger | |
| 4 | 12,197.35 miles (19,629.68 km) NW | Maiduguri International Airport (MIU) | Maiduguri, Nigeria | |
| 5 | 12,185.44 miles (19,610.51 km) NE | Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY) | Agadez, Niger | |
| 6 | 12,151.23 miles (19,555.46 km) NE | Zaria Airport (ZAR) | Zaria, Nigeria | |
| 7 | 12,146.53 miles (19,547.90 km) W | Bol-Berim Airport (OTC) | Bol, Chad | |
| 8 | 12,113.46 miles (19,494.68 km) W | Mao Airport (AMO) | Mao, Chad | |
| 9 | 12,112.32 miles (19,492.84 km) NE | Kaduna Airport (KAD) | Kaduna, Nigeria | |
| 10 | 12,101.33 miles (19,475.16 km) NNE | Yakubu Gowon Airport (JOS) | Jos, Nigeria | |
| 11 | 12,098.52 miles (19,470.62 km) WNW | N'Djamena International Airport (NDJ) | N'Djamena, Chad | |
| 12 | 12,084.66 miles (19,448.32 km) E | Tahoua Airport (THZ) | Tahoua, Niger | |
| 13 | 12,072.38 miles (19,428.57 km) NW | Salak Airport (MVR) | Maroua, Far North Region, Cameroon | |
| 14 | 12,069.06 miles (19,423.22 km) NNW | Yola Airport (YOL) | Yola, Nigeria | |
| 15 | 12,059.72 miles (19,408.19 km) NNE | Arlit Airport (RLT) | Arlit, Niger | |