Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL), Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,006 miles (or 6,447 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 Eareckson Air Station and Albert Lea Municipal 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 Eareckson Air Station and Albert Lea Municipal 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 Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• With the successful completion of the Aleutian Campaign in August 1943, Eleventh Air Force came within striking distance of the Japanese Kurile Islands, the northernmost being 750 miles to the south-southwest of Shemya.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 1966 the Air Defense Command 9th Air Division assumed jurisdiction of the base.
• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".

Facts about Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL):

• From 1990-2008 Albert Lea was the host site for the International Aerobatic Club Doug Yost Challenge Aerobatic Competition.
• The furthest airport from Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,773 miles (17,338 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) has 2 runways.
• Albert Lea Municipal Airport covers an area of 273 acres at an elevation of 1,261 feet above mean sea level.
• In the last 15 years, there have been 8 major soaring contests at the Albert Lea Airport.
• The closest airport to Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) is Austin Municipal Airport (AUM), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) E of AEL.