Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Bagdad, Arizona, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Bagdad Airport (BGT), Bagdad, Arizona, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,671 miles (or 5,909 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 Bagdad 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 Bagdad 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):

• The aerial photos taken on the raid showed the Japanese were building up forces in the area, transferring aircraft presumably from air bases on Hokkaido.
• Eareckson Air Station is a United States Air Force military airport located on the island of Shemya, in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.
• 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.
• By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• 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.
• On 1 April 1995, Eareckson AS was converted to contractor operations and maintenance, providing all support on the island.

Facts about Bagdad Airport (BGT):

• In addition to being known as "Bagdad Airport", another name for BGT is "E51".
• The closest airport to Bagdad Airport (BGT) is Prescott Municipal Airport (PRC), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) E of BGT.
• Because of Bagdad Airport's high elevation of 4,183 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at BGT. Combined with a high temperature, this could make BGT a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Bagdad Airport (BGT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Bagdad Airport (BGT) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,390 miles (18,330 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.