Nonstop flight route between Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Christmas Island, Australia:
Departure Airport:
(34°44'43"N by 87°36'37"W)
Arrival Airport:
(10°27'2"S by 105°41'25"E)
Distance from MSL to XCH:
10,560.49 miles (16,995.42 km)
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- About this route
- MSL Airport Information
- XCH Airport Information
- Facts about MSL
- Facts about XCH
- 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 XCH
- List of Nearest Airports to XCH
- Map of Furthest Airports from XCH
- List of Furthest Airports from XCH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL), Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States and Christmas Island Airport (XCH), Christmas Island, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,560 miles (or 16,995 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 Christmas Island 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 Christmas Island 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: | XCH / YPXM |
| Airport Name: | Christmas Island Airport |
| Location: | Christmas Island, Australia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 10°27'2"S by 105°41'25"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Toll Remote Logistics |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 916 feet (279 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from XCH |
| More Information: | XCH Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Christmas Island Airport (XCH):
- Christmas Island Airport (XCH) currently has only 1 runway.
- Christmas Island Airport handled 27,286 passengers last year.
- Christmas Island Airport is a quiet airport and served 27,286 revenue passengers during financial year 2010-2011.
- The closest airport to Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Cibeureum Airfield (TSY), which is located 276 miles (445 kilometers) NE of XCH.
- A brief revival of the "old days" happened in 2001 during the "Tampa" crisis when the heightened Royal Australian Air Force traffic was complemented by a large number of Department of Immigration and Citizenship and media charters.
- Because of Christmas Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 916 feet, planes can take off or land at Christmas Island 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 airport resides at an elevation of 916 ft above sea level.
- The furthest airport from Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is nearly antipodal to Christmas Island Airport (meaning Christmas Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Barranquilla, Colombia.
| 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 | 276.45 miles (444.90 km) NE | Cibeureum Airfield (TSY) | Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia | |
| 2 | 277.04 miles (445.86 km) NNE | Husein Sastranegara International Airport (HSA) (BDO) | Bandung, Indonesia | |
| 3 | 300.52 miles (483.64 km) NNE | Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 4 | 300.72 miles (483.96 km) NE | Tunggul Wulung Airport (CXP) | Cilacap, Java Island, Indonesia | |
| 5 | 306.03 miles (492.51 km) NNE | Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 320.99 miles (516.58 km) NE | Penggung Airport/Chakrabhuwana Airport (CBN) | Cirebon, Java, Indonesia | |
| 7 | 327.59 miles (527.20 km) NE | Purwokerto / Wirasaba Airport (PWL) | Wirasaba, Central Java, Indonesia | |
| 8 | 361.54 miles (581.84 km) N | Radin Inten II Airport (RIA II) (TKG) | Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 372.08 miles (598.81 km) ENE | Adisucipto International Airport (JOG) | Yogyakarta, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 400.10 miles (643.90 km) NE | Achmad Yani International Airport (AYIA) (SRG) | Semarang, Indonesia | |
| 11 | 404.30 miles (650.65 km) N | Gunung Batin Airport (AKQ) | Astraksetra, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 458.82 miles (738.39 km) ENE | Ngloram Airport (CPF) | Cepu, Indonesia | |
| 13 | 509.81 miles (820.45 km) ENE | Abdul Rachman Saleh Airport (MLG) | Malang, East Java, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 509.93 miles (820.65 km) NNW | Fatmawati Soekarno Airport (BKS) | Bengkulu, Indonesia | |
| 15 | 526.08 miles (846.63 km) N | Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (SMB II) (PLM) | Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,392.74 miles (19,944.12 km) NE | Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) | Barranquilla, Colombia | |
| 2 | 12,390.27 miles (19,940.16 km) N | Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) | Santa Marta, Colombia | |
| 3 | 12,364.75 miles (19,899.08 km) W | Alfonso López Pumarejo Airport (VUP) | Valledupar, Colombia | |
| 4 | 12,355.03 miles (19,883.45 km) E | Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) | Cartagena, Colombia | |
| 5 | 12,334.93 miles (19,851.10 km) NE | Las Brujas Airport (CZU) | Corozal, Colombia | |
| 6 | 12,317.08 miles (19,822.37 km) NW | Almirante Padilla Airport (RCH) | Riohacha, Colombia | |
| 7 | 12,302.01 miles (19,798.12 km) WNW | La Mina Airport Jorge Isaacs Airport (MCJ) | Maicao, La Guajira, Colombia | |
| 8 | 12,284.15 miles (19,769.38 km) NE | Los Garzones Airport (MTR) | Montería, Córdoba, Colombia | |
| 9 | 12,278.93 miles (19,760.97 km) NNE | Ayapel Airport (AYA) | Ayapel, Colombia | |
| 10 | 12,261.24 miles (19,732.50 km) W | La Chinita International Airport (MAR) | Maracaibo, Venezuela | |
| 11 | 12,254.90 miles (19,722.30 km) NNE | Caucasia Airport Juan H. White Airport (CAQ) | Caucasia, Antioquia, Colombia | |
| 12 | 12,246.04 miles (19,708.04 km) WNW | Miguel Urdaneta Fernández Airport (STB) | Santa Bárbara del Zulia, Venezuela | |
| 13 | 12,236.67 miles (19,692.97 km) N | El Bagre Airport El Tomin Airport (EBG) | El Bagre, Colombia | |
| 14 | 12,233.62 miles (19,688.05 km) W | Oro Negro Airport (CBS) | Cabimas, Venezuela | |
| 15 | 12,230.26 miles (19,682.64 km) NW | La Fría Airport (LFR) | La Fria, Venezuela | |