Nonstop flight route between Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT), Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,591 miles (or 13,826 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 Sanga-Sanga Airport and Des Moines 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 Sanga-Sanga Airport and Des Moines 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 Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT):

• The furthest airport from Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT) is Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL), which is nearly antipodal to Sanga-Sanga Airport (meaning Sanga-Sanga Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ponta Pelada Airport), and is located 12,304 miles (19,802 kilometers) away in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
• Because of Sanga-Sanga Airport's relatively low elevation of 16 feet, planes can take off or land at Sanga-Sanga 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.
• Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT) currently has only 1 runway.
• Sanga-Sanga Airport handled 8,663 passengers last year.
• Currently, the airport runway is being extended to 1,930 meters through partnerships between the DOTC, the CAAP, the United States Agency for International Development, the regional government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Tawi-Tawi provincial government.
• The closest airport to Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT) is Semporna Airport (SMM), which is located 89 miles (143 kilometers) WSW of TWT.
• The new runway was inaugurated on August 17, 2009 by Ambassador Kristie Kenney and local officials.
• In addition to being known as "Sanga-Sanga Airport", another name for TWT is "Paliparan ng Sanga-Sanga".

Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):

• The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
• On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
• The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
• Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines 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.