Nonstop flight route between Roanoke, Virginia, United States and Pituffik, Greenland:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from ROA to THU:
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- About this route
- ROA Airport Information
- THU Airport Information
- Facts about ROA
- Facts about THU
- 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 THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia, United States and Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,731 miles (or 4,395 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 Thule Air 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 Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport and Thule Air Base. 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: |
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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: | THU / BGTL |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
View all routes: | Routes from THU |
More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Facts about Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA):
- In addition to being known as "Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport", another name for ROA is "Woodrum Field".
- Throughout its history, Roanoke Regional Airport has had five separate control towers serve the airport.
- 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.
- Between 1984–1985, the city of Roanoke developed an Airport Master Plan calling for $43.8 million to be spent in the development of a new terminal building, in addition to other improvements throughout the site.
- Landside facilities, or the facilities located outside the TSA security checkpoint, include check-in, car rental, baggage claim and a taxi hire.
- Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) has 2 runways.
- Roanoke Regional saw 685,000 passengers in 2007, with 71 percent on-time departures and 68 percent on-time arrivals.
- In the time since the initial commercial service to Roanoke commenced in 1933, various airlines have offered non-stop service to and from 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.
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- In 1961, a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radar was constructed at "J-Site," 21 km northeast of main base.
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- A cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where the base was built in 1951.