Nonstop flight route between Salinas, California, United States and Baghdad, Iraq:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS), Salinas, California, United States and Baghdad International Airport (BGW), Baghdad, Iraq would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,520 miles (or 12,102 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 Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base and Baghdad International 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 Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base and Baghdad International 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 Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS):

• The move of the Army Air Forces Night Fighter School to Hammer Field, California dictated the move of the 360th Fighter Group to Santa Maria AAF in January 1944.
• The 71st Observation Group replaced the 69th in December 1941, moving in from Third Air Force at Birmingham Airport, Alabama.
• Until 1962 United Airlines had one Convair each way a day, but when they left no one replaced them and SNS has rarely appeared in the Airline Guide since.
• In December 1944 the 481st NFOTG was inactivated as part of an AAF reorganization.
• Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) has 3 runways.
• Because of Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base's relatively low elevation of 85 feet, planes can take off or land at Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base 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 Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) is Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) WSW of SNS.
• The furthest airport from Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,387 miles (18,326 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.

Facts about Baghdad International Airport (BGW):

• The closest airport to Baghdad International Airport (BGW) is Baghdad International Airport (SDA), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of BGW.
• The furthest airport from Baghdad International Airport (BGW) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,732 miles (18,880 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Baghdad International Airport (BGW) has 2 runways.
• Because of Baghdad International Airport's relatively low elevation of 114 feet, planes can take off or land at Baghdad 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.
• In April 2003, US-led forces invaded Iraq and changed the airport's name to Baghdad International Airport.
• In addition to being known as "Baghdad International Airport", other names for BGW include "مطار بغداد الدولي", "Matar Baġdād ad-Dowaly" and "ORBI".