Nonstop flight route between Shemya, Alaska, United States and Vigo, Galicia, Spain:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States and Vigo Airport (VGO), Vigo, Galicia, Spain would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,875 miles (or 9,455 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 Vigo 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 Vigo 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.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• Shemya has been the scene of two major earthquakes.
• 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 Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• 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 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 station was also used by SAC Cobra Ball and other related projects which monitored missile-associated signals and tracks missiles during boost and re-entry phases to provide reconnaissance for treaty verification and theater ballistic missile proliferation.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Vigo Airport (VGO):

• The closest airport to Vigo Airport (VGO) is Braga Airport (BGZ), which is located 45 miles (73 kilometers) SSE of VGO.
• Vigo Airport handled 828,725 passengers last year.
• The 1970s increment of traffic led to a further development plan, including the construction in 1973 of a new control tower, a new passenger terminal in 1974, in 1975 an independent power plant and in 1976 the apron space and parking places were both increased and taxiways widened.
• Vigo Airport (VGO) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Vigo Airport", other names for VGO include "Aeropuerto de Vigo" and "Aeroporto de Vigo".
• Because of Vigo Airport's relatively low elevation of 855 feet, planes can take off or land at Vigo 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.
• The furthest airport from Vigo Airport (VGO) is Greymouth Airport (GMN), which is nearly antipodal to Vigo Airport (meaning Vigo Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Greymouth Airport), and is located 12,418 miles (19,985 kilometers) away in Greymouth, New Zealand.
• To adapt the Vigo airport to the future air traffic demands, Aena published an airport development project.