Nonstop flight route between St. Paul, Minnesota, United States and Galena, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP), St. Paul, Minnesota, United States and Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL), Galena, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,728 miles (or 4,391 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 St. Paul Downtown Airport and Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 St. Paul Downtown Airport and Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP):

• The closest airport to St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport Wold–Chamberlain Airport (MSP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) WSW of STP.
• St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) has 3 runways.
• In addition to being known as "St. Paul Downtown Airport", another name for STP is "Holman Field".
• Recently local debate has ensued over plans to build a flood wall around the airport.
• Because of St. Paul Downtown Airport's relatively low elevation of 705 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Paul Downtown 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 furthest airport from St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,764 miles (17,324 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• During World War II, Northwest Airlines employed up to 5,000 people at the site, modifying new B-24 Liberator bombers, some of which received the highly classified H2X radar, which proved to be an invaluable tool in the European theater.
• Holman Field Administration Building with historic Control Tower

Facts about Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL):

• In addition to being known as "Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport", another name for GAL is "(former Galena Air Force Base)".
• The airport also sports a ski-jump takeoff ramp at one end and provisions for arresting gear at the other, a leftover from the Cold War years as Galena Air Force Base, as tactical aircraft required more landing and takeoff space than was available on the runway.
• Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) has 2 runways.
• As Galena Air Force Base, it was used by the USAF during the Cold War as an interceptor base for aircraft patrolling the western areas of Alaska.
• Because of Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport's relatively low elevation of 153 feet, planes can take off or land at Edward G. Pitka Sr. 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 furthest airport from Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,313 miles (16,598 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• The closest airport to Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport (GAL) is Koyukuk Airport (KYU), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) WNW of GAL.