Nonstop flight route between Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and St. Mary's, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
(47°57'39"N by 97°24'3"W)
Arrival Airport:
(62°3'38"N by 163°18'6"W)
Distance from RDR to KSM:
2,649.73 miles (4,264.32 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RDR Airport Information
- KSM Airport Information
- Facts about RDR
- Facts about KSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to RDR
- List of Nearest Airports to RDR
- Map of Furthest Airports from RDR
- List of Furthest Airports from RDR
- Map of Nearest Airports to KSM
- List of Nearest Airports to KSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from KSM
- List of Furthest Airports from KSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR), Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States and St. Mary's Airport (KSM), St. Mary's, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,650 miles (or 4,264 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 Grand Forks Air Force Base and St. Mary's 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 Grand Forks Air Force Base and St. Mary's Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RDR / KRDR |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 47°57'39"N by 97°24'3"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RDR |
| More Information: | RDR Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | KSM / PASM |
| Airport Name: | St. Mary's Airport |
| Location: | St. Mary's, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 62°3'38"N by 163°18'6"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Alaska DOT&PF |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 312 feet (95 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from KSM |
| More Information: | KSM Maps & Info |
Facts about Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR):
- The closest airport to Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) E of RDR.
- SAGE operations were extremely expansive and GFADS was inactivated on 1 December 1963, when it was merged with the Minot Air Defense Sector at Minot AFB to the west.
- Survey teams selected sites in flat wheatlands close to the Canada-Minnesota border, north-northwest of Grand Forks.
- The furthest airport from Grand Forks Air Force Base (RDR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,504 miles (16,904 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In addition to being known as "Grand Forks Air Force Base", another name for RDR is "Grand Forks AFB".
- Grand Forks AFB is the home of the Air Mobility Command's 319th Air Base Wing.
- During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB in southern California.
Facts about St. Mary's Airport (KSM):
- Because of St. Mary's Airport's relatively low elevation of 312 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's Airport (KSM) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,494 miles (16,889 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
- St. Mary's Airport (KSM) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to St. Mary's Airport (KSM) is Mountain Village Airport (MOU), which is located only 13 miles (20 kilometers) W of KSM.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.44 miles (16.81 km) E | Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) | Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 37.05 miles (59.62 km) ESE | Crookston Municipal Airport (CKN) | Crookston, Minnesota, United States | |
| 3 | 56.67 miles (91.20 km) E | Thief River Falls Regional Airport (TVF) | Thief River Falls, Minnesota, United States | |
| 4 | 68.20 miles (109.76 km) N | Pembina Municipal Airport (PMB) | Pembina, North Dakota, United States | |
| 5 | 70.43 miles (113.35 km) W | Devils Lake Regional Airport (DVL) | Devils Lake, North Dakota, United States | |
| 6 | 76.92 miles (123.79 km) SSE | Hector International Airport (FAR) | Fargo, North Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 92.95 miles (149.59 km) SW | Jamestown Regional Airport (JMS) | Jamestown, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 105.78 miles (170.23 km) SE | Detroit Lakes Airport (DTL) | Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, United States | |
| 9 | 115.91 miles (186.54 km) NE | Warroad International Memorial Airport (RRT) | Warroad, Minnesota, United States | |
| 10 | 118.75 miles (191.11 km) ESE | Bemidji Regional Airport (BJI) | Bemidji, Minnesota, United States | |
| 11 | 124.36 miles (200.14 km) SSE | Harry Stern Airport (WAH) | Wahpeton, North Dakota, United States | |
| 12 | 129.78 miles (208.86 km) SSE | Fergus Falls Municipal Airport (FFM) | Fergus Falls, Minnesota, United States | |
| 13 | 134.85 miles (217.03 km) N | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| 14 | 138.60 miles (223.05 km) ENE | Baudette International Airport (BDE) | Baudette, Minnesota, United States | |
| 15 | 139.90 miles (225.15 km) NNW | Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport (YPG) | Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,503.85 miles (16,904.27 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,479.86 miles (16,865.66 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,472.61 miles (16,853.99 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,453.90 miles (16,823.87 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,427.01 miles (16,780.60 km) WSW | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,397.22 miles (16,732.65 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,386.62 miles (16,715.61 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,380.61 miles (16,705.93 km) WSW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,375.61 miles (16,697.88 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,336.89 miles (16,635.57 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,276.91 miles (16,539.04 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,242.01 miles (16,482.88 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,239.13 miles (16,478.24 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,226.99 miles (16,458.70 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,211.16 miles (16,433.23 km) SE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12.52 miles (20.15 km) W | Mountain Village Airport (MOU) | Mountain Village, Alaska, United States | |
| 2 | 15.71 miles (25.28 km) ESE | Pilot Station Airport (PQS) | Pilot Station, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 43.61 miles (70.18 km) ESE | Marshall Don Hunter Sr. Airport (MLL) | Marshall, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 58.95 miles (94.87 km) WNW | Sheldon Point Airport (SXP) | Sheldon Point, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 61.02 miles (98.20 km) NW | Alakanuk Airport (AUK) | Alakanuk, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 62.90 miles (101.24 km) NW | Emmonak Airport (EMK) | Emmonak, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 67.40 miles (108.48 km) N | Kotlik Airport (KOT) | Kotlik, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 67.43 miles (108.52 km) ESE | Russian Mission Airport (RSH) | Russian Mission, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 75.21 miles (121.04 km) W | Scammon Bay Airport (SCM) | Scammon Bay, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 83.21 miles (133.91 km) WSW | Chevak Airport (VAK) | Chevak, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 84.72 miles (136.35 km) SSE | Nunapitchuk Airport (NUP) | Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 85.97 miles (138.35 km) SSE | Kasigluk Airport (KUK) | Kasigluk, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 88.49 miles (142.42 km) W | Cape Romanzof Air Force Station Cape Romanzof Long Range Radar Site (CZF) | Cape Romanzof, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 89.19 miles (143.53 km) SSW | Newtok Airport (WWT) | Newtok, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 89.22 miles (143.59 km) SSE | Atmautluak Airport (ATT) | Atmautluak, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,494.08 miles (16,888.54 km) S | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,482.44 miles (16,869.80 km) S | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,457.83 miles (16,830.21 km) SSW | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,416.76 miles (16,764.12 km) SSW | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,371.90 miles (16,691.92 km) SSW | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,261.64 miles (16,514.46 km) SSW | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,199.66 miles (16,414.71 km) S | Kleinsee Airport (KLZ) | Kleinzee, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,195.75 miles (16,408.43 km) SSW | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 9 | 10,169.94 miles (16,366.89 km) S | Aggeneys Airport (AGZ) | Aggeneys, South Africa | |
| 10 | 10,169.94 miles (16,366.89 km) S | Wild Coast Sun Airport (MZF) | Mzamba, South Africa | |
| 11 | 10,157.43 miles (16,346.75 km) SSW | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,151.99 miles (16,338.00 km) SSW | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 10,149.37 miles (16,333.79 km) SSW | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 10,143.31 miles (16,324.03 km) SSW | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,133.50 miles (16,308.25 km) SE | Teniente Rodolfo Marsh Airport (TNM) | Villa Las Estrellas, Antarctica | |