Nonstop flight route between Santa Marta, Colombia and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR), Santa Marta, Colombia and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,068 miles (or 8,155 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 Simón Bolívar International Airport and Elmendorf 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 Simón Bolívar International Airport and Elmendorf 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 Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR):

• In addition to being known as "Simón Bolívar International Airport", another name for SMR is "Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar".
• The closest airport to Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is located 41 miles (65 kilometers) WSW of SMR.
• Because of Simón Bolívar International Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Simón Bolívar International 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 Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to Simón Bolívar International Airport (meaning Simón Bolívar International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,390 miles (19,940 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):

• The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War.
• Despite a diminished number of personnel and aircraft, a turning point in Elmendorf's history occurred in 1970 with the arrival of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron in June 1970 from MacDill AFB, Florida.
• On 16 November 2010, a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor took off for a training mission.
• The furthest airport from Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,542 miles (16,965 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• That importance was further recognized when the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in May 1991.
• On 12 November 1940, the War Department formally designated what had been popularly referred to as Elmendorf Field as Fort Richardson.
• The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
• In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".