Nonstop flight route between Spangdahlem, Germany and Golfito, Costa Rica:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM), Spangdahlem, Germany and Golfito Airport (GLF), Golfito, Costa Rica would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,756 miles (or 9,264 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 Spangdahlem Air Base and Golfito 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 Spangdahlem Air Base and Golfito 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 Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM):

• The 49th TFW flew F-100s until 1961 when it converted to the Republic F-105D/F Thunderchief, commonly known as the "Thud".
• The initial USAF military presence began on 1 September 1952 with the arrival of the 7352d Air Base Squadron on 1 September 1952 from Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base near Munich.
• The furthest airport from Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,986 miles (19,289 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The 39 TEWS returned to Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina on 1 January 1973.
• In addition to being known as "Spangdahlem Air Base", another name for SPM is "Spangdahlem AB".
• The closest airport to Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) is Bitburg Airport (BBJ), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) WSW of SPM.
• Spangdahlem Air Base has been a military presence in Germany for over five decades.

Facts about Golfito Airport (GLF):

• Because of Golfito Airport's relatively low elevation of 49 feet, planes can take off or land at Golfito 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 closest airport to Golfito Airport (GLF) is Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SW of GLF.
• The furthest airport from Golfito Airport (GLF) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Golfito Airport (meaning Golfito Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,192 miles (19,622 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Golfito Airport (GLF) currently has only 1 runway.