Nonstop flight route between Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Cold Bay, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Black Hills Airport (SPF), Spearfish, South Dakota, United States and Cold Bay Airport (CDB), Cold Bay, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,642 miles (or 4,252 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 Black Hills Airport and Cold Bay 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 Black Hills Airport and Cold Bay 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 Black Hills Airport (SPF):

• In addition to being known as "Black Hills Airport", another name for SPF is "Clyde Ice Field".
• Black Hills Airport (SPF) has 4 runways.
• The closest airport to Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), which is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) ESE of SPF.
• The furthest airport from Black Hills Airport (SPF) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,576 miles (17,020 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Cold Bay Airport (CDB):

• Cold Bay Airport (CDB) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Cold Bay Airport", other names for CDB include "Cold Bay Air Force Station" and "Fort Randall Army Airfield".
• The furthest airport from Cold Bay Airport (CDB) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,968 miles (17,652 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• It was redesignated from Army Air Base to an Air Force Base on 28 March 1948 along with seven other Army Air Bases in Alaska.
• The closest airport to Cold Bay Airport (CDB) is King Cove Airport (KVC), which is located only 19 miles (31 kilometers) ESE of CDB.
• Cold Bay's main runway is the fifth-largest in Alaska and was built during World War II.
• Because of Cold Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 102 feet, planes can take off or land at Cold Bay 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.
• According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 9,105 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 8,968 enplanements in 2009, and 9,261 in 2010.
• There is a National Weather Service office colocated with the FAA Flight Service Station at the airport.
• The 5042d ABS was discontinued on 1 January 1950 per AAC General Order Number 198, dated 13 December 1949, due to budget restrictions.