Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and La Jolla de Cortes, Sonora, Mexico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE), La Jolla de Cortes, Sonora, Mexico would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,823 miles (or 6,153 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 Mar de Cortés 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 Mar de Cortés 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):

• With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• After the disastrous attack, the focus of Eleventh Air Force was shifted to a defensive posture in the event of retaliatory attacks from the Japanese.
• 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.
• On 28 May 1943, a small detachment of Alaskan Scouts began reconnaissance of Shemya, a small, flat, uninhabited island 35 miles to the east of Attu.
• In July 1973, Raytheon won a contract to build a system called COBRA DANE on Shemya.
• 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.
• 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 August, after the Soviet Union declared war against the Japanese Empire, B-24s were dispatched on reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions to observe the Russian activity in the Kuriles.

Facts about Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE):

• In addition to being known as "Mar de Cortés International Airport", other names for PPE include "Aeropuerto Internacional del Mar de Cortés" and "MMPE".
• The furthest airport from Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,609 miles (18,683 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Once fully operational, the airport will be receiving flights from all over the world.
• The airport was inaugurated on November 5, 2009 when President Felipe Calderón's presidential plane landed on the runway for the Border Governors' meeting.
• The closest airport to Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) is San Felipe International Airport (SFH), which is located 94 miles (151 kilometers) WSW of PPE.
• Mar de Cortés International Airport (PPE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Mar de Cortés International Airport's relatively low elevation of 71 feet, planes can take off or land at Mar de Cortés 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.
• As of October 31, 2009 the airport is officially open to the public, and is operating as a Mexican Airport of Entry.