Nonstop flight route between Tacoma, Washington, United States and Arica, Chile:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM), Tacoma, Washington, United States and Chacalluta International Airport (ARI), Arica, Chile would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,560 miles (or 8,948 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB and Chacalluta 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB and Chacalluta 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM):

• On 1 August 1946, McChord was assigned to the new Air Defense Command, with a mission of air defense of the United States.
• The 62d Airlift Wing is the host unit at McChord Field.
• The McChord Air Museum features exhibits about McChord Field and a collection of restored military aircraft.
• With the departure of the 17th Bomb Group, the mission of McChord Field became supporting the Army Air Forces Training Command's mission of training of units, crews, and individuals for bombardment, fighter, and reconnaissance operations.
• The closest airport to McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Gray Army Airfield (GRF), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) SW of TCM.
• During 1952 and 1953, the 62nd airlifted troops, blood plasma, aircraft parts, ammunition, medical supplies, and much more, to the Far East, in support of the war in Korea.
• McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) has 2 runways.
• Because of McChord Field/McChord AFB's relatively low elevation of 322 feet, planes can take off or land at McChord Field/McChord AFB 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 McChord Field/McChord AFB (TCM) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,803 miles (17,386 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• McChord Field is a United States Air Force base in Pierce County, Washington, United States.
• In addition to being known as "McChord Field/McChord AFB", another name for TCM is "Part of Air Mobility Command (AMC)".

Facts about Chacalluta International Airport (ARI):

• Chacalluta International Airport (ARI) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Chacalluta International Airport", another name for ARI is "Aeródromo de Chacalluta Arica".
• The furthest airport from Chacalluta International Airport (ARI) is Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX), which is nearly antipodal to Chacalluta International Airport (meaning Chacalluta International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Sanya Phoenix International Airport), and is located 12,420 miles (19,988 kilometers) away in Sanya, Hainan, China.
• The closest airport to Chacalluta International Airport (ARI) is Chacalluta International Airport (ACM), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of ARI.
• Because of Chacalluta International Airport's relatively low elevation of 167 feet, planes can take off or land at Chacalluta 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.