Nonstop flight route between Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Fairbanks, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SXM to FAI:
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- About this route
- SXM Airport Information
- FAI Airport Information
- Facts about SXM
- Facts about FAI
- Map of Nearest Airports to SXM
- List of Nearest Airports to SXM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SXM
- List of Furthest Airports from SXM
- Map of Nearest Airports to FAI
- List of Nearest Airports to FAI
- Map of Furthest Airports from FAI
- List of Furthest Airports from FAI
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), Fairbanks, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,940 miles (or 7,950 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 Princess Juliana International Airport and Fairbanks International 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 Princess Juliana International Airport and Fairbanks International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SXM / TNCM |
| Airport Name: | Princess Juliana International Airport |
| Location: | Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| GPS Coordinates: | 18°2'26"N by 63°6'33"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Princess Juliana Int'l Airport Holding Company N.V. |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 14 feet (4 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SXM |
| More Information: | SXM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FAI / PAFA |
| Airport Name: | Fairbanks International Airport |
| Location: | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 64°48'53"N by 147°51'23"W |
| Area Served: | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 434 feet (132 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 4 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FAI |
| More Information: | FAI Maps & Info |
Facts about Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM):
- The new four-story terminal building offers 27,000 square metres of floor space and is fully air-conditioned.
- However, the oil price increases since 2003 began impacting discretionary air travel worldwide by early 2008, and the prospect of further price increases threatens to reverse the recent expansion of tourist travel by jet which began with the 1980s oil glut.
- Because the approach to Runway 10 is over water, pilots can become disoriented regarding their perceived altitude when operating under visual flight rules.
- The furthest airport from Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is Karratha Airport (KTA), which is nearly antipodal to Princess Juliana International Airport (meaning Princess Juliana International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Karratha Airport), and is located 12,252 miles (19,718 kilometers) away in Karratha / Dampier, Western Australia, Australia.
- Arriving aircraft approach the island on the last section of the final approach for Runway 10, following a 3° glide slope flying low over the famous Maho Beach.
- Because of increased passenger traffic and the expected growth of passenger traffic in the near future, Princess Juliana International Airport is being heavily modernized following a three-phased masterplan, commissioned in 1997.
- Although the airport is as close to the beach as it is, there have only been 2 major accidents.
- Because of Princess Juliana International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Princess Juliana 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.
- Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is L'Espérance Airport Grand Case Airport (CCE), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) NE of SXM.
Facts about Fairbanks International Airport (FAI):
- The closest airport to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is Ladd Army Airfield (FBK), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) ENE of FAI.
- Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) has 4 runways.
- Because of Fairbanks International Airport's relatively low elevation of 434 feet, planes can take off or land at Fairbanks 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.
- In September 2013 there were two incidents of vehicular trespass onto its taxiway and runways, by users unknowingly following Apple Map's errant directions to Fairbanks International Airport.
- The furthest airport from Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,289 miles (16,558 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Pan American World Airways had also served Fairbanks since 1932.
