Nonstop flight route between Roanoke, Virginia, United States and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from ROA to MRI:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- ROA Airport Information
- MRI Airport Information
- Facts about ROA
- Facts about MRI
- Map of Nearest Airports to ROA
- List of Nearest Airports to ROA
- Map of Furthest Airports from ROA
- List of Furthest Airports from ROA
- Map of Nearest Airports to MRI
- List of Nearest Airports to MRI
- Map of Furthest Airports from MRI
- List of Furthest Airports from MRI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia, United States and Merrill Field (MRI), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,348 miles (or 5,388 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 Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport and Merrill Field, 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 Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport and Merrill Field. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ROA / KROA |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Roanoke, Virginia, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°19'32"N by 79°58'32"W |
Area Served: | Roanoke Valley, New River Valley |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1175 feet (358 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from ROA |
More Information: | ROA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | MRI / PAMR |
Airport Name: | Merrill Field |
Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 61°12'48"N by 149°50'39"W |
Operator/Owner: | Municipality of Anchorage |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 137 feet (42 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from MRI |
More Information: | MRI Maps & Info |
Facts about Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA):
- Designed for future expansion to accommodate additional aircraft, there has been talk of a terminal expansion, though official plans have yet to be announced.
- In the period following the Piedmont-USAir merger, Roanoke has seen various carriers enter and exit the local market.
- Throughout its history, Roanoke Regional Airport has had five separate control towers serve the airport.
- By 1934, American Airlines began service to Roanoke, but they later moved their operations to Lynchburg in 1937 due to the poor conditions in Roanoke.
- The closest airport to Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) is Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport (BCB), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) WSW of ROA.
- In addition to being known as "Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport", another name for ROA is "Woodrum Field".
- The furthest airport from Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,559 miles (18,603 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In the time since the initial commercial service to Roanoke commenced in 1933, various airlines have offered non-stop service to and from Roanoke.
- Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) has 2 runways.
Facts about Merrill Field (MRI):
- The closest airport to Merrill Field (MRI) is Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) NNE of MRI.
- Merrill Field (MRI) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from Merrill Field (MRI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,545 miles (16,970 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Because of Merrill Field's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Merrill Field 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 offices of the Alaska Dispatch, parent company of the Anchorage Daily News, are located on Merrill Field.
- This was the first official airport in Anchorage when it opened in 1930.
- Merrill Field is a public-use general aviation airport located one mile east of downtown Anchorage in the U.S.
- Merrill Field, located on the east end of 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, was the only airport serving Anchorage until 1951 when the introduction of ever larger and faster commercial aircraft required that an airfield with longer and heavier runways be built.