Nonstop flight route between Pago Pago, American Samoa and Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Pago Pago International Airport (PPG), Pago Pago, American Samoa and JB MDL Lakehurst (NEL), Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,181 miles (or 11,556 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 Pago Pago International Airport and JB MDL Lakehurst, 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 Pago Pago International Airport and JB MDL Lakehurst. 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 Pago Pago International Airport (PPG):

• Because of Pago Pago International Airport's relatively low elevation of 32 feet, planes can take off or land at Pago Pago 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 American Samoan government is looking into legal means to overcome current US cabotage rules that forbid foreign carriers from entering and serving the Pago Pago – Honolulu or Pago Pago – Los Angeles routes.
• South Pacific jet services between Sydney, Auckland, Honolulu and Papeete were first offered by Pan American World Airways in 1964 using Boeing 707 aircraft.
• Towards the end of its peak commercial passenger aviation period, Pago Pago International Airport also became an ideal refueling stopover for cargo carriers due to the low cost of fuel and landing fees at the time.
• The furthest airport from Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Pago Pago International Airport (meaning Pago Pago International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,396 miles (19,950 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.
• The closest airport to Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) is Ofu Airport (OFU), which is located 69 miles (112 kilometers) E of PPG.
• To facilitate aircraft with large payload requirements and long distance flights, runway 05/23 was expanded in early 2001 from an original runway length of 9,000 feet to the current 10,000 feet.
• It was also used for inter island air service between Faleolo, Western Samoa and Pago Pago in 1959 by newly formed, Apia-based Polynesian Airlines and short-lived, Pago Pago-based Samoa Airways using ex-military Douglas C-47B-45-DK type aircraft.
• Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) has 2 runways.

Facts about JB MDL Lakehurst (NEL):

• Also known as Maxfield Field, the host unit at Lakehurst is the United States Air Force 87th Air Base Wing.
• The furthest airport from JB MDL Lakehurst (NEL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,767 miles (18,936 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The Lakehurst portion of JB MDL is the world's only provider of full spectrum support for aircraft launch, recovery and support equipment systems for U.S.
• The base housed many Navy non-rigid airships, otherwise knowns as "blimps," in several squadrons before, during, and after World War II.
• The closest airport to JB MDL Lakehurst (NEL) is Ocean County Airport (MJX), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) SSE of NEL.
• Prior to this event, NAS Lakehurst was the center of airship development in the United States and housed three of the U.S.