Nonstop flight route between Madison, Wisconsin, United States and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), Madison, Wisconsin, United States and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,648 miles (or 4,261 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 Dane County Regional Airport and Eielson Air Force Base, 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 Dane County Regional Airport and Eielson Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Dane County Regional Airport (MSN):

• The furthest airport from Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,978 miles (17,667 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is Dodge County Airport (UNU), which is located 38 miles (60 kilometers) ENE of MSN.
• In 1927 the City of Madison purchased 290 acres of land for $35,380.
• Dane County Regional Airport covers 4,000 acres at an elevation of 887 feet above mean sea level.
• In addition to being known as "Dane County Regional Airport", another name for MSN is "Truax Field".
• Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) has 3 runways.
• Truax Field was named in honor of Lieutenant Thomas L.
• Dane County Regional Airport handled 1,615,841 passengers last year.
• Because of Dane County Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 887 feet, planes can take off or land at Dane County 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 Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• Within the first year of its arrival the 354 FW hosted an Arctic combat search and rescue exercise between the United States, Canada, and Russia.
• The 720th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, equipped with F-86 Sabres, was deployed to Eielson during 1954–55.
• For the next 34 years, the 5010th served as host-unit at Eielson.
• The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
• The Air Defense Command deployed interceptors to Eielson during the 1960s.
• A month later, contractors and civilian crews from Ladd Field started laying out the new airfield.
• The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• The host unit at Eielson is the 354th Fighter Wing assigned to the Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force.
• On 7 June 1943, the Western Defense Command ordered construction of a new airfield near present-day Fort Wainwright, then an Army airfield named after Major Arthur Ladd.
• The 58th Weather Squadron remained at Eielson until 8 August 1958.