Nonstop flight route between Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands and Anchorage, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
(15°7'8"N by 145°43'45"E)
Arrival Airport:
(61°15'5"N by 149°48'23"W)
Distance from SPN to EDF:
4,463.89 miles (7,183.91 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- SPN Airport Information
- EDF Airport Information
- Facts about SPN
- Facts about EDF
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPN
- List of Nearest Airports to SPN
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPN
- List of Furthest Airports from SPN
- Map of Nearest Airports to EDF
- List of Nearest Airports to EDF
- Map of Furthest Airports from EDF
- List of Furthest Airports from EDF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Saipan International Airport (SPN), Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands and Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF), Anchorage, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,464 miles (or 7,184 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 Saipan 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 Saipan 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:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SPN / PGSN |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°7'8"N by 145°43'45"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Commonwealth Ports Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 215 feet (66 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPN |
| More Information: | SPN Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | EDF / PAED |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Anchorage, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 61°15'5"N by 149°48'23"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from EDF |
| More Information: | EDF Maps & Info |
Facts about Saipan International Airport (SPN):
- Japanese tourists began visiting Saipan in large numbers during the 1970s.
- The furthest airport from Saipan International Airport (SPN) is Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho) (SSA), which is nearly antipodal to Saipan International Airport (meaning Saipan International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho)), and is located 12,125 miles (19,514 kilometers) away in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
- Once in American hands, Isely Field was expanded considerably to support Twentieth Air Force B-29 Superfortress operations.
- Saipan International Airport covers an area of 734 acres which contains one paved runway measuring 8,700 x 200 ft.
- Because of Saipan International Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Saipan 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 closest airport to Saipan International Airport (SPN) is Tinian International Airport (TIQ), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SW of SPN.
- In addition to being known as "Saipan International Airport", other names for SPN include "Francisco C. Ada Airport" and "GSN".
- Saipan International Airport (SPN) currently has only 1 runway.
- SPN was a sugarcane field before the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service constructed a temporary landing field on the site in 1933.
Facts about Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF):
- The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S.
- On 28 July 2010, a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four air crew members.
- 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.
- The Elmendorf AFB is a site of one of the now decommissioned FLR-9 Wullenweber-class antennas, a node of the now obsolete High Frequency SIGINT direction finding system.
- In addition to being known as "Elmendorf Air Force Base", another name for EDF is "JB Elmendorf-Richardson".
- Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States military facility in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska.
- Air defense forces reached their zenith in 1957 with almost 200 fighter aircraft assigned to six fighter interceptor squadrons located at Elmendorf AFB and Ladd AFB.
- The closest airport to Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) is Merrill Field (MRI), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) SSW of EDF.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11.06 miles (17.80 km) SW | Tinian International Airport (TIQ) | Tinian Island, Northern Mariana Islands |     |
| 2 | 72.92 miles (117.36 km) SSW | Rota International Airport (ROP) | Rota Island, Northern Mariana Islands | |
| 3 | 119.13 miles (191.72 km) SSW | Andersen Air Force Base (UAM) | Agana, Guam | |
| 4 | 129.06 miles (207.70 km) SSW | Guam International Airport (GUM) | Hagåtña, Guam | |
| 5 | 533.30 miles (858.26 km) SW | Falalop Airfield (ULI) | Falalop Island, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 6 | 645.75 miles (1,039.22 km) SW | Yap International Airport (YAP) | Yap, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 7 | 671.70 miles (1,081.00 km) SE | Chuuk International Airport (TKK) | Weno, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 8 | 726.36 miles (1,168.96 km) NNW | Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO) | Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan | |
| 9 | 829.80 miles (1,335.42 km) NE | Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS) | Minami-Tori-shima, Japan | |
| 10 | 927.56 miles (1,492.75 km) SW | Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR) | Koror, Palau | |
| 11 | 1,015.16 miles (1,633.73 km) ESE | Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) | Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 12 | 1,146.10 miles (1,844.46 km) E | Enewetak Auxiliary Airfield (ENT) | Enewetak, Marshall Islands | |
| 13 | 1,192.41 miles (1,919.00 km) NW | Minami-Daito Airport (MMD) | Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan | |
| 14 | 1,192.72 miles (1,919.50 km) S | Momote Airport (MAS) | Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 1,193.19 miles (1,920.24 km) NW | Kitadaito Airport (KTD) | Kitadaito, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,125.20 miles (19,513.57 km) ESE | Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho) (SSA) | Salvador, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 2 | 12,118.20 miles (19,502.30 km) E | Ilhéus/Bahia-Jorge Amado Airport (IOS) | Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 3 | 12,104.44 miles (19,480.16 km) ESE | Porto Seguro Airport (BPS) | Porto Seguro, Brazil | |
| 4 | 12,094.54 miles (19,464.23 km) SE | Aracaju–Santa Maria Airport (AJU) | Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil | |
| 5 | 12,036.52 miles (19,370.86 km) SSE | Maceió/Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport (MCZ) | Maceió, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,996.47 miles (19,306.39 km) E | Pedro Otacílio Figueiredo Airport (VDC) | Vitória da Conquista, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,951.65 miles (19,234.27 km) S | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) | Recife, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,932.95 miles (19,204.17 km) ESE | Coronel Horácio de Mattos Airport (LEC) | Lençõis, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,905.05 miles (19,159.28 km) SE | Vitória-Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport (Goiabeiras) (VIX) | Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,884.00 miles (19,125.40 km) S | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,883.39 miles (19,124.42 km) SSE | Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV) | Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,866.48 miles (19,097.20 km) E | Guanambi Airport (GNM) | Guanambi, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,864.21 miles (19,093.54 km) ESE | Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR) | Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
| 14 | 11,853.53 miles (19,076.36 km) SE | Petrolina–Senador Nilo Coelho Airport (PNZ) | Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,834.75 miles (19,046.13 km) SE | Raimundo de Andrade Airport (CDI) | Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 2.90 miles (4.67 km) SSW | Merrill Field (MRI) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 2 | 5.10 miles (8.20 km) E | Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) | Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 8.32 miles (13.39 km) SW | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 19.67 miles (31.66 km) N | Big Lake Airport (BGQ) | Big Lake, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 23.84 miles (38.37 km) NNE | Wasilla Airport (WWA) | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 33.56 miles (54.01 km) NE | Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) | Palmer, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 35.67 miles (57.40 km) NNW | Willow Airport (WOW) | Willow, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 41.57 miles (66.91 km) W | Beluga Airport (BVU) | Beluga, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 45.99 miles (74.01 km) WSW | Tyonek Airport (TYE) | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 67.10 miles (107.99 km) NW | Skwentna Airport (SKW) | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 67.29 miles (108.30 km) SW | Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA) | Kenai, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 67.79 miles (109.09 km) SW | Soldotna Airport (SXQ) | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 74.47 miles (119.84 km) N | Talkeetna Airport (TKA) | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 78.79 miles (126.80 km) S | Seward Airport (SWD) | Seward, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 101.75 miles (163.75 km) SE | Chenega Bay Airport (NCN) | Chenega, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,541.86 miles (16,965.44 km) S | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,522.61 miles (16,934.46 km) SSE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,517.40 miles (16,926.08 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,484.34 miles (16,872.87 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,482.65 miles (16,870.14 km) SSE | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,383.23 miles (16,710.15 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,336.91 miles (16,635.60 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,268.85 miles (16,526.07 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 10,264.17 miles (16,518.54 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,259.58 miles (16,511.15 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,259.02 miles (16,510.25 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,253.10 miles (16,500.73 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 10,250.65 miles (16,496.78 km) S | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 14 | 10,237.04 miles (16,474.88 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,227.30 miles (16,459.21 km) S | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |