Nonstop flight route between Pituffik, Greenland and Guatemala, Cuba:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from THU to PST:
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- About this route
- THU Airport Information
- PST Airport Information
- Facts about THU
- Facts about PST
- Map of Nearest Airports to THU
- List of Nearest Airports to THU
- Map of Furthest Airports from THU
- List of Furthest Airports from THU
- Map of Nearest Airports to PST
- List of Nearest Airports to PST
- Map of Furthest Airports from PST
- List of Furthest Airports from PST
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Thule Air Base (THU), Pituffik, Greenland and Preston Airport (PST), Guatemala, Cuba would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,863 miles (or 6,217 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 Thule Air Base and Preston 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 Thule Air Base and Preston Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | THU / BGTL |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Pituffik, Greenland |
GPS Coordinates: | 76°31'51"N by 68°42'11"W |
View all routes: | Routes from THU |
More Information: | THU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PST / |
Airport Name: | Preston Airport |
Location: | Guatemala, Cuba |
GPS Coordinates: | 20°44'3"N by 75°39'25"W |
Area Served: | Guatemala, Holguín Province, Cuba |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 26 feet (8 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from PST |
More Information: | PST Maps & Info |
Facts about Thule Air Base (THU):
- Thule became an Air Force Space Command base in 1982.
- The furthest airport from Thule Air Base (THU) is Hobart International Airport (HBA), which is located 9,883 miles (15,905 kilometers) away in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
- A cluster of huts known as Pituffik stood on the wide plain where the base was built in 1951.
- The closest airport to Thule Air Base (THU) is Savissivik Heliport (SVR), which is located 69 miles (111 kilometers) ESE of THU.
- Thule Air Base is also home to the 821st Air Base Group and is responsible for air base support within the Thule Defense Area for the multinational population of "Team Thule." The base hosts the 12th Space Warning Squadron which operates a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System designed to detect and track ICBMs launched against North America.
- Thule AB was constructed in secret under the code name Operation Blue Jay, but the project was made public in September 1952.
- The ratification of the treaty in 1951 did not change much, except that the Danish national flag Dannebrog must be side by side with Stars and Stripes on the base.
- Knud Rasmussen was the first to recognize the Pituffik plain as ideal for an airport.
- In addition to being known as "Thule Air Base", another name for THU is "Thule AB".
- In 1957 construction began on 4 Nike Missile sites around the base, and they and their radar systems were operational by the end of 1958.
- In 1959, the airbase was the main staging point for the construction of Camp Century, some 150 mi from the base.
Facts about Preston Airport (PST):
- The closest airport to Preston Airport (PST) is Nicaro Airport (ICR), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) ESE of PST.
- Preston Airport (PST) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Preston Airport (PST) is RAAF Learmonth (LEA), which is located 11,802 miles (18,993 kilometers) away in Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Preston Airport's relatively low elevation of 26 feet, planes can take off or land at Preston 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.