Nonstop flight route between Seward, Alaska, United States and Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(60°7'36"N by 149°25'8"W)
Arrival Airport:
(51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W)
Distance from SWD to BEX:
4,517.65 miles (7,270.43 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SWD Airport Information
- BEX Airport Information
- Facts about SWD
- Facts about BEX
- Map of Nearest Airports to SWD
- List of Nearest Airports to SWD
- Map of Furthest Airports from SWD
- List of Furthest Airports from SWD
- Map of Nearest Airports to BEX
- List of Nearest Airports to BEX
- Map of Furthest Airports from BEX
- List of Furthest Airports from BEX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Seward Airport (SWD), Seward, Alaska, United States and RAF Benson (BEX), Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,518 miles (or 7,270 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 Seward Airport and RAF Benson, 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 Seward Airport and RAF Benson. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SWD / PAWD |
| Airport Name: | Seward Airport |
| Location: | Seward, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 60°7'36"N by 149°25'8"W |
| Area Served: | Seward, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | Alaska DOT&PF - Central Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 22 feet (7 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SWD |
| More Information: | SWD Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BEX / EGUB |
| Airport Name: | RAF Benson |
| Location: | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from BEX |
| More Information: | BEX Maps & Info |
Facts about Seward Airport (SWD):
- Seward Airport (SWD) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Seward Airport (SWD) is Chenega Bay Airport (NCN), which is located 49 miles (79 kilometers) E of SWD.
- Because of Seward Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Seward 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 Seward Airport (SWD) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,617 miles (17,086 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Facts about RAF Benson (BEX):
- The future of RAF Benson was in doubt for some time, while Project Belvedere was looking into closing at least one of Joint Helicopter Command's airfields.
- The Battles were replaced in December 1940 with Vickers Wellington medium bombers.
- The station is today the home to four squadrons of Support Helicopters, 28 Squadron, 78 Squadron with Merlin helicopters and 33 Squadron and 230 Squadron with Puma helicopters.
- The closest airport to RAF Benson (BEX) is RAF High Wycombe (HYC), which is located only 13 miles (22 kilometers) ENE of BEX.
- The furthest airport from RAF Benson (BEX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,879 miles (19,118 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 49.26 miles (79.28 km) E | Chenega Bay Airport (NCN) | Chenega, Alaska, United States |     |
| 2 | 60.43 miles (97.25 km) WNW | Soldotna Airport (SXQ) | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 69.61 miles (112.03 km) WNW | Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA) | Kenai, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 74.97 miles (120.65 km) NNW | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 76.45 miles (123.03 km) N | Merrill Field (MRI) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 78.70 miles (126.66 km) WSW | Homer Airport (HOM) | Homer, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 78.79 miles (126.80 km) N | Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 78.86 miles (126.92 km) N | Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) | Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 87.78 miles (141.26 km) NW | Tyonek Airport (TYE) | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 90.87 miles (146.24 km) NW | Beluga Airport (BVU) | Beluga, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 92.46 miles (148.80 km) WSW | Seldovia Airport (SOV) | Seldovia, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 98.27 miles (158.15 km) N | Big Lake Airport (BGQ) | Big Lake, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 99.75 miles (160.54 km) WSW | Port Graham Airport (PGM) | Port Graham, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 99.92 miles (160.81 km) N | Wasilla Airport (WWA) | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 102.04 miles (164.22 km) N | Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) | Palmer, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,616.64 miles (17,085.78 km) S | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,594.47 miles (17,050.10 km) SSE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,593.15 miles (17,047.98 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,560.72 miles (16,995.79 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,550.26 miles (16,978.95 km) SSE | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,460.13 miles (16,833.91 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,414.58 miles (16,760.60 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,345.77 miles (16,649.86 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 10,340.78 miles (16,641.83 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,335.79 miles (16,633.80 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,335.73 miles (16,633.70 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,330.80 miles (16,625.77 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 10,328.60 miles (16,622.23 km) S | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 14 | 10,313.37 miles (16,597.73 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,304.43 miles (16,583.34 km) S | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.38 miles (21.53 km) ENE | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 18.01 miles (28.98 km) NNW | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.84 miles (36.76 km) WNW | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 22.86 miles (36.79 km) SSE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 27.22 miles (43.81 km) SSE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 27.27 miles (43.88 km) SSE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 28.90 miles (46.51 km) ESE | London Heathrow Airport (LHR) | London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 29.41 miles (47.34 km) E | RAF Northolt (NHT) | Ruislip, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 29.77 miles (47.92 km) S | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) W | RAF Fairford (FFD) | Fairford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 32.59 miles (52.45 km) NNE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 35.88 miles (57.74 km) ENE | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 37.64 miles (60.57 km) ENE | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 39.31 miles (63.26 km) W | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 47.38 miles (76.26 km) SSW | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,879.28 miles (19,117.81 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,856.22 miles (19,080.68 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,854.23 miles (19,077.49 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,851.63 miles (19,073.31 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,838.05 miles (19,051.45 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,819.81 miles (19,022.09 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,815.78 miles (19,015.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,810.58 miles (19,007.24 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,802.08 miles (18,993.57 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,785.98 miles (18,967.65 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,785.41 miles (18,966.73 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,767.06 miles (18,937.19 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,759.25 miles (18,924.64 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,754.85 miles (18,917.55 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,740.74 miles (18,894.85 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |