Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Oaxaca, Mexico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX), Oaxaca, Mexico would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,254 miles (or 8,456 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 Xoxocotlán 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 Eareckson Air Station and Xoxocotlán International 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):

• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• 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.
• With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
• The base host squadron was re-designated the 5073rd Air Base Squadron on October 1962, and upgraded to a group on 15 October 1974 in recognition of the number and complexities of the tenant units it supported.

Facts about Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX):

• The closest airport to Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) is Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM), which is located 81 miles (131 kilometers) SSW of OAX.
• The furthest airport from Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,472 miles (18,462 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Xoxocotlán International Airport", another name for OAX is "Aeropuerto Internacional Xoxocotlán".
• Because of Xoxocotlán International Airport's high elevation of 4,989 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at OAX. Combined with a high temperature, this could make OAX a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.