Nonstop flight route between Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States and Abemama Atoll, Kiribati:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SOP to AEA:
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- About this route
- SOP Airport Information
- AEA Airport Information
- Facts about SOP
- Facts about AEA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SOP
- List of Nearest Airports to SOP
- Map of Furthest Airports from SOP
- List of Furthest Airports from SOP
- Map of Nearest Airports to AEA
- List of Nearest Airports to AEA
- Map of Furthest Airports from AEA
- List of Furthest Airports from AEA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Moore County Airport (SOP), Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States and Abemama Atoll Airport (AEA), Abemama Atoll, Kiribati would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,141 miles (or 11,492 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 Moore County Airport and Abemama Atoll 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 Moore County Airport and Abemama Atoll Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SOP / KSOP |
Airport Name: | Moore County Airport |
Location: | Pinehurst / Southern Pines, North Carolina, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 35°14'13"N by 79°23'27"W |
Operator/Owner: | Moore County |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 461 feet (141 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from SOP |
More Information: | SOP Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | AEA / NGTB |
Airport Name: | Abemama Atoll Airport |
Location: | Abemama Atoll, Kiribati |
GPS Coordinates: | 0°29'26"N by 173°49'42"E |
Area Served: | Abemama |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 8 feet (2 meters) |
View all routes: | Routes from AEA |
More Information: | AEA Maps & Info |
Facts about Moore County Airport (SOP):
- The furthest airport from Moore County Airport (SOP) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,608 miles (18,682 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The rift was exacerbated by the Airport Authority's $2 million proposal which was approved by lawmakers, to build several large hangars using taxpayer funds.
- The closest airport to Moore County Airport (SOP) is Mackall Army Airfield (HFF), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) SSW of SOP.
- However, a recent court ruling said the village had no legal jurisdiction over the airport because it operates under an independent authority that was established in 1993.
- Because of Moore County Airport's relatively low elevation of 461 feet, planes can take off or land at Moore County 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.
- Moore County Airport (SOP) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Abemama Atoll Airport (AEA):
- The airport is served by Air Kiribati from the international airport at South Tarawa on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
- The furthest airport from Abemama Atoll Airport (AEA) is Cape Palmas Airport (CPA), which is nearly antipodal to Abemama Atoll Airport (meaning Abemama Atoll Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cape Palmas Airport), and is located 12,084 miles (19,448 kilometers) away in Cape Palmas, Liberia.
- The closest airport to Abemama Atoll Airport (AEA) is Aranuka Airport (AAK), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) SSW of AEA.
- Because of Abemama Atoll Airport's relatively low elevation of 8 feet, planes can take off or land at Abemama Atoll 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 March 1944, the USAAF combat units moved west into the Marshalls, and Abemama became a transport hub for the 9th Troop Carrier Squadron until August.