Nonstop flight route between Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Galena, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ), Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,639 miles (or 4,247 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 Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) and Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport. 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 Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ):

• Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) handled 133,381 passengers last year.
• In the 1950s, transatlantic civilian flights began using the air base for refuelling.
• In addition to being known as "Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ)", other names for SFJ include "Mittarfik Kangerlussuaq" and "Kangerlussuaq Lufthavn".
• Access to several research camps on the Greenland ice sheet, including the Danish field camp North GRIP and the American Summit Camp, is handled through Kangerlussuaq via the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard.
• The furthest airport from Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 10,633 miles (17,112 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
• Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ)'s relatively low elevation of 165 feet, planes can take off or land at Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) 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 closest airport to Kangerlussuaq Airport (SFJ) (SFJ) is Sisimiut Airport (JHS), which is located 82 miles (132 kilometers) W of SFJ.
• The terminal is open for 24 hours during summer.

Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):

• Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
• As Galena Air Force Base, it was used by the USAF during the Cold War as an interceptor base for aircraft patrolling the western areas of Alaska.
• In addition to being known as "Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport", another name for GAL is "(former Galena Air Force Base)".
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 7,784 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 7,447 enplanements in 2009, and 12,421 in 2010.
• The furthest airport from Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,313 miles (16,598 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• The airport also sports a ski-jump takeoff ramp at one end and provisions for arresting gear at the other, a leftover from the Cold War years as Galena Air Force Base, as tactical aircraft required more landing and takeoff space than was available on the runway.
• The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.
• Because of Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport's relatively low elevation of 153 feet, planes can take off or land at Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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.