Nonstop flight route between Point Lay, Alaska, United States and Marrakech, Morocco:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Point Lay LRRS Airport (PIZ), Point Lay, Alaska, United States and Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), Marrakech, Morocco would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,323 miles (or 8,566 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 Point Lay LRRS Airport and Marrakesh Menara 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 Point Lay LRRS Airport and Marrakesh Menara Airport. 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 Point Lay LRRS Airport (PIZ):

• The airport was built in 1957 to support the Distant Early Warning Line Radar station at Point Lay.
• Point Lay LRRS Airport (PIZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Point Lay LRRS Airport (PIZ) is Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM), which is located 10,387 miles (16,716 kilometers) away in Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica.
• Point Lay LRRS Airport is a public and military use airport owned by the United States Government and located in Point Lay, in the North Slope Borough of the U.S.
• The closest airport to Point Lay LRRS Airport (PIZ) is Wainwright Airport (AIN), which is located 94 miles (152 kilometers) NE of PIZ.
• The radar station was upgraded in the late 1980s with new radars and in 1989 was re-designated part of the North Warning System as a Long Range Radar Site, A-15, controlled by the Pacific Air Forces 611th Air Support Group, based at Elmendorf AFB.
• Because of Point Lay LRRS Airport's relatively low elevation of 25 feet, planes can take off or land at Point Lay LRRS 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 Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK):

• Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) currently has only 1 runway.
• Marrakesh Menara Airport handled 3,373,475 passengers last year.
• During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command as a hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.
• The paved runway is laid out in the direction 10/28 is 3,100 by 45 metres.
• The furthest airport from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Kaitaia Airport (KAT), which is nearly antipodal to Marrakesh Menara Airport (meaning Marrakesh Menara Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kaitaia Airport), and is located 12,186 miles (19,611 kilometers) away in Kaitaia, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Ouarzazate Airport (OZZ), which is located 81 miles (130 kilometers) SE of RAK.
• In addition to being known as "Marrakesh Menara Airport", other names for RAK include "Aéroport Marrakech Ménara" and "مطار مراكش المنارة".