Nonstop flight route between Arlit, Niger and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Arlit Airport (RLT), Arlit, Niger and Eielson Air Force Base (EIL), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,513 miles (or 10,482 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 Arlit Airport and Eielson Air Force Base, 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 Arlit Airport and Eielson Air Force Base. 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 Arlit Airport (RLT):

• The closest airport to Arlit Airport (RLT) is In Guezzam Airport (INF), which is located 118 miles (190 kilometers) WNW of RLT.
• The furthest airport from Arlit Airport (RLT) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is nearly antipodal to Arlit Airport (meaning Arlit Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Lifuka Island Airport), and is located 12,307 miles (19,805 kilometers) away in Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga.

Facts about Eielson Air Force Base (EIL):

• The Air Defense Command deployed interceptors to Eielson during the 1960s.
• The furthest airport from Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,295 miles (16,568 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Until 2007, Eielson was a front line base, deploying fighter and bomber units around the world as well as providing for the defense of Alaska.
• The 58th Weather Squadron remained at Eielson until 8 August 1958.
• Headquarters USAF General Order 2, dated 13 January 1948, redesignated Mile 26 as Eielson AFB.
• On 20 August 1993, the 354 FW replaced the 343d Wing.
• In addition to being known as "Eielson Air Force Base", another name for EIL is "Eielson AFB".
• The closest airport to Eielson Air Force Base (EIL) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) NW of EIL.
• Eielson AFB was established in 1943 as Mile 26 Satellite Field.
• Taken off deployment status in 2007 as a result of BRAC 2005, today the primary mission of the base is to support Red Flag-Alaska, a series of Pacific Air Forces commander-directed field training exercises for U.S.