Nonstop flight route between Beijing, People's Republic of China and Decatur, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:
(40°4'47"N by 116°35'3"E)
Arrival Airport:
(34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W)
Distance from PEK to DCU:
7,059.88 miles (11,361.74 km)
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- About this route
- PEK Airport Information
- DCU Airport Information
- Facts about PEK
- Facts about DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to PEK
- List of Nearest Airports to PEK
- Map of Furthest Airports from PEK
- List of Furthest Airports from PEK
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Beijing, People's Republic of China and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,060 miles (or 11,362 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 Beijing Capital International Airport and Pryor Field Regional 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 Beijing Capital International Airport and Pryor Field Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | PEK / ZBAA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Beijing, People's Republic of China |
| GPS Coordinates: | 40°4'47"N by 116°35'3"E |
| Area Served: | Beijing |
| Operator/Owner: | Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 116 feet (35 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PEK |
| More Information: | PEK Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
| Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
| Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
| Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
| More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Facts about Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK):
- In addition to being known as "Beijing Capital International Airport", other names for PEK include "北京首都国际机场" and "Běijīng Shǒudū Guójì Jīchǎng".
- Because of Beijing Capital International Airport's relatively low elevation of 116 feet, planes can take off or land at Beijing Capital 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.
- On 20 July 2013, a man in a wheelchair detonated small homemade explosives which exploded on Terminal 3 in the Beijing International Airport.
- The luggage system can handle 19,200 pieces of luggage per hour.
- The airport provides free inter-terminal shuttle bus between Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
- The closest airport to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) SSW of PEK.
- Due to limited capacity at Beijing Capital International Airport, a new airport in Daxing is being planned which BCIA will be only served its domestic flights.
- The furthest airport from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is Gobernador Edgardo Castello Airport (VDM), which is nearly antipodal to Beijing Capital International Airport (meaning Beijing Capital International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gobernador Edgardo Castello Airport), and is located 12,378 miles (19,920 kilometers) away in Viedma, Argentina.
- The roof of T3 has dozens of triangular windows to let in daylight.
- Beijing Capital International Airport handled 83,712,355 passengers last year.
- Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) has 3 runways.
- Beijing Airport was opened on 2 March 1958.
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- Pryor Field Regional Airport covers an area of 200 acres which contains one asphalt paved runway measuring 6,107 x 100 ft.
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field 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.
- The furthest airport from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
- A newly built $1.8 million terminal building opened in 2008 at the north end of the field as part of a federally funded $3.3 million project.
- In 2007, Chris Wright was struck by a propeller as he was "hand propping" starting his plane.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 23.05 miles (37.09 km) SSW | Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY) | Beijing, China |     |
| 2 | 77.48 miles (124.69 km) SSE | Tianjin Binhai International Airport (TSN) | Tianjin, China | |
| 3 | 78.59 miles (126.49 km) ESE | Tangshan Sannühe Airport (TVS) | Tangshan, Hebei, China | |
| 4 | 98.20 miles (158.04 km) WNW | Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport (ZQZ) | Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China | |
| 5 | 160.23 miles (257.86 km) SW | Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW) | Shijiazhuang, China | |
| 6 | 164.04 miles (264.00 km) W | Datong Yungang Airport (DAT) | Datong, Shanxi, China | |
| 7 | 166.66 miles (268.21 km) E | Qinhuangdao Shanhaiguan Airport (SHP) | Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China | |
| 8 | 191.78 miles (308.63 km) NE | Chifeng Airport (CIF) | Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, China | |
| 9 | 225.13 miles (362.32 km) ENE | Chaoyang Airport (CHG) | Chaoyang, Liaoning, China | |
| 10 | 225.28 miles (362.55 km) S | Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport (TNA) | Jinan, Shandong, China | |
| 11 | 245.25 miles (394.69 km) ENE | Jinzhou Xiaolingzi Airport (JNZ) | Jinzhou, Liaoning, China | |
| 12 | 249.76 miles (401.94 km) SSW | Xingtai Dalian Airport (XNT) | Xingtai, Hebei, China | |
| 13 | 255.81 miles (411.68 km) WNW | Hohhot Baita International Airport (HET) | Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China | |
| 14 | 266.82 miles (429.41 km) SW | Taiyuan Wuxu International Airport (TYN) | Taiyuan, Shanxi, China | |
| 15 | 266.99 miles (429.68 km) N | Xilinhot Airport (XIL) | Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, China | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,378.05 miles (19,920.49 km) SSW | Gobernador Edgardo Castello Airport (VDM) | Viedma, Argentina | |
| 2 | 12,339.82 miles (19,858.97 km) ESE | Antoine de Saint Exupéry Airport (OES) | San Antonio Oeste, Argentina | |
| 3 | 12,321.92 miles (19,830.17 km) SW | Comandante Espora Airport (BHI) | Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | |
| 4 | 12,237.11 miles (19,693.68 km) SSW | Brigadier Hector Eduardo Ruiz Airport (CSZ) | Coronel Suárez, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 5 | 12,234.44 miles (19,689.37 km) SW | Tres Arroyos Airport (OYO) | Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | |
| 6 | 12,232.16 miles (19,685.71 km) SSE | El Tehuelche Airport (PMY) | Puerto Madryn, Argentina | |
| 7 | 12,200.69 miles (19,635.06 km) ESE | Dr. Arturo Umberto Illia Airport (GNR) | General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina | |
| 8 | 12,200.03 miles (19,634.00 km) SSE | Almirante Marcos A. Zar Airport (REL) | Trelew, Chubut, Argentina | |
| 9 | 12,191.30 miles (19,619.94 km) SSE | Santa Rosa Airport (RSA) | Santa Rosa, Argentina | |
| 10 | 12,172.36 miles (19,589.46 km) ESE | Presidente Perón Internacional Airport (NQN) | Neuquen, Argentina | |
| 11 | 12,167.30 miles (19,581.32 km) WSW | Necochea Airport (NEC) | Necochea, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 12 | 12,156.64 miles (19,564.17 km) SW | Olavarría Airport (OVR) | Olavarría, Argentina | |
| 13 | 12,156.14 miles (19,563.36 km) ESE | Colonia Catriel Airport (CCT) | Colonia Catriel, Río Negro, Argentina | |
| 14 | 12,148.47 miles (19,551.01 km) ESE | Maquinchao Airport (MQD) | Maquinchao, Río Negro Province, Argentina | |
| 15 | 12,136.92 miles (19,532.44 km) SW | Tandil Airport (TDL) | Tandil, Argentina | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 9.75 miles (15.69 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 2 | 14.90 miles (23.98 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 35.39 miles (56.96 km) NE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 4 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) W | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) NNW | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 6 | 63.86 miles (102.77 km) NE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 67.85 miles (109.19 km) SE | Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | |
| 8 | 68.70 miles (110.56 km) NNE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 9 | 70.49 miles (113.44 km) ENE | Franklin County Airport (UOS) | Sewanee, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 70.57 miles (113.57 km) WSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 11 | 76.14 miles (122.53 km) S | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 12 | 82.06 miles (132.06 km) ENE | Marion County Airport (APT) | Jasper, Tennessee, United States | |
| 13 | 85.51 miles (137.62 km) SSE | St. Clair County Airport (PLR) | Pell City, Alabama, United States | |
| 14 | 86.47 miles (139.16 km) NNW | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 15 | 90.74 miles (146.03 km) SE | Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN) | Talladega, Alabama, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,179.89 miles (17,992.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,160.27 miles (17,960.66 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,140.94 miles (17,929.56 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,128.73 miles (17,909.90 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,124.24 miles (17,902.69 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,122.62 miles (17,900.07 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,110.85 miles (17,881.13 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,104.61 miles (17,871.09 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,103.33 miles (17,869.03 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,097.40 miles (17,859.49 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,074.48 miles (17,822.60 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,050.67 miles (17,784.29 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,041.81 miles (17,770.02 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,035.79 miles (17,760.33 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,032.55 miles (17,755.12 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |