Nonstop flight route between Sanday, Scotland, United Kingdom and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from NDY to DSM:
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- About this route
- NDY Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about NDY
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to NDY
- List of Nearest Airports to NDY
- Map of Furthest Airports from NDY
- List of Furthest Airports from NDY
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sanday Airport (NDY), Sanday, Scotland, United Kingdom and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,853 miles (or 6,201 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 Sanday Airport and Des Moines International 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 Sanday Airport and Des Moines International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | NDY / EGES |
Airport Name: | Sanday Airport |
Location: | Sanday, Scotland, United Kingdom |
GPS Coordinates: | 59°15'1"N by 2°34'36"W |
Area Served: | Sanday, Orkney |
Operator/Owner: | Orkney Islands Council |
Airport Type: | Private |
Elevation: | 66 feet (20 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from NDY |
More Information: | NDY Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DSM / KDSM |
Airport Name: | Des Moines International Airport |
Location: | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W |
Area Served: | Des Moines, Iowa |
Operator/Owner: | City of Des Moines |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 958 feet (292 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from DSM |
More Information: | DSM Maps & Info |
Facts about Sanday Airport (NDY):
- The closest airport to Sanday Airport (NDY) is Stronsay Airport (SOY), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) SSW of NDY.
- Because of Sanday Airport's relatively low elevation of 66 feet, planes can take off or land at Sanday 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 Sanday Airport (NDY) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,502 miles (18,510 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
- Sanday Airport (NDY) has 3 runways.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines International 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 Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- As of March 2014, Delta Air Lines handled of DSM passengers, followed by United Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.