Nonstop flight route between Valence, France and Drake Bay, Costa Rica:
Departure Airport:
(44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E)
Arrival Airport:
(8°43'58"N by 83°39'0"W)
Distance from VAF to DRK:
5,725.95 miles (9,214.99 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- VAF Airport Information
- DRK Airport Information
- Facts about VAF
- Facts about DRK
- Map of Nearest Airports to VAF
- List of Nearest Airports to VAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from VAF
- List of Furthest Airports from VAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to DRK
- List of Nearest Airports to DRK
- Map of Furthest Airports from DRK
- List of Furthest Airports from DRK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France and Drake Bay Airport (DRK), Drake Bay, Costa Rica would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,726 miles (or 9,215 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Drake Bay 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Drake Bay Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VAF / LFLU |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valence, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E |
| Area Served: | Valence, Drôme, France |
| Operator/Owner: | Department of Drôme |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 525 feet (160 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VAF |
| More Information: | VAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DRK / MRDK |
| Airport Name: | Drake Bay Airport |
| Location: | Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
| GPS Coordinates: | 8°43'58"N by 83°39'0"W |
| Area Served: | Drake Bay, Costa Rica |
| Operator/Owner: | n/a |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 13 feet (4 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DRK |
| More Information: | DRK Maps & Info |
Facts about Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):
- In 1945 the Armée de l'Air returned to its airfield and it returned to its prewar status as an active air base.
- The closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.
- Because of Valence - Chabeuil Airport's relatively low elevation of 525 feet, planes can take off or land at Valence - Chabeuil 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (meaning Valence - Chabeuil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- After the forceful occupation of Vichy France in November 1942 as a result of Case Anton Wehrmacht units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe.
- Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
- The airport was a pre-World War II French Air Force airfield.
- In addition to being known as "Valence - Chabeuil Airport", other names for VAF include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-23" and "Aéroport de Valence - Chabeuil".
Facts about Drake Bay Airport (DRK):
- The closest airport to Drake Bay Airport (DRK) is Palmar Sur Airport (PMZ), which is located only 20 miles (31 kilometers) NE of DRK.
- Drake Bay Airport (DRK) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Drake Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at Drake Bay 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 Drake Bay Airport (DRK) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Drake Bay Airport (meaning Drake Bay Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,196 miles (19,627 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 35.57 miles (57.24 km) NNE | Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB) | Grenoble, France |     |
| 2 | 53.81 miles (86.60 km) S | Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) | Orange, France | |
| 3 | 54.17 miles (87.18 km) NW | Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon Airport (EBU) | Saint-Étienne / Bouthéon, France | |
| 4 | 55.82 miles (89.84 km) ENE | Alpe d'Huez Airport (AHZ) | Alpe d'Huez, France | |
| 5 | 56.23 miles (90.50 km) N | Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) | Lyon, France | |
| 6 | 56.25 miles (90.53 km) N | Lyon–Bron Airport (LYN) | Lyon, France | |
| 7 | 59.97 miles (96.51 km) WNW | Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) | Le Puy-en-Velay / Loudes, Haute-Loire, France | |
| 8 | 66.88 miles (107.64 km) NE | Chambéry Airport (CMF) | Chambéry, France | |
| 9 | 69.79 miles (112.31 km) S | Avignon - Caumont Airport (AVN) | Avignon, France | |
| 10 | 84.54 miles (136.05 km) SSW | Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport (FNI) | Nîmes-Arles-Camargue, France | |
| 11 | 85.43 miles (137.49 km) ENE | Méribel Airport (MFX) | Meribel, France | |
| 12 | 87.73 miles (141.18 km) ENE | Courchevel Airport (CVF) | Courchevel, France | |
| 13 | 88.51 miles (142.45 km) ESE | Barcelonnette - Saint-Pons Airport (BAE) | Barcelonnette / Saint-Pons, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | |
| 14 | 90.49 miles (145.63 km) N | Bourg - Ceyzériat Airport (XBK) | Bourg-en-Bresse, France | |
| 15 | 96.13 miles (154.70 km) S | Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) | Istres, France | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,332.90 miles (19,847.83 km) SE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,892.27 miles (19,138.71 km) ESE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,877.44 miles (19,114.84 km) SE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,874.85 miles (19,110.67 km) SE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,867.99 miles (19,099.63 km) ESE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,865.64 miles (19,095.85 km) ESE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,861.33 miles (19,088.91 km) ESE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,843.83 miles (19,060.76 km) ESE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,831.32 miles (19,040.62 km) ESE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,825.78 miles (19,031.70 km) ESE | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,813.61 miles (19,012.12 km) E | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,811.96 miles (19,009.46 km) SE | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,798.91 miles (18,988.46 km) SE | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,794.44 miles (18,981.27 km) ESE | Nelson AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Whakatū (NSN) | Nelson, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,788.30 miles (18,971.38 km) SE | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 19.51 miles (31.39 km) NE | Palmar Sur Airport (PMZ) | Palmar Sur, Costa Rica | |
| 2 | 27.61 miles (44.44 km) ESE | Puerto Jiménez Airport (PJM) | Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica | |
| 3 | 32.41 miles (52.15 km) E | Golfito Airport (GLF) | Golfito, Costa Rica | |
| 4 | 36.91 miles (59.40 km) NE | Buenos Aires Airporrt (BAI) | Buenos Aires, Costa Rica | |
| 5 | 47.55 miles (76.52 km) E | Coto 47 Airport (OTR) | Coto 47, Costa Rica | |
| 6 | 58.98 miles (94.91 km) NNW | Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP) | Quepos, Costa Rica | |
| 7 | 86.31 miles (138.90 km) ESE | Enrique Malek International Airport (DAV) | David, Chiriquí Province, Panama | |
| 8 | 90.34 miles (145.39 km) NE | Changuinola "Capitan Manuel Niño" International Airport (CHX) | Changuinola, Bocas del Toro, Panama | |
| 9 | 90.93 miles (146.34 km) NNW | Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) | San José, Costa Rica | |
| 10 | 94.84 miles (152.63 km) NNE | Limón International Airport (LIO) | Puerto Limón, Costa Rica | |
| 11 | 95.09 miles (153.03 km) NNW | Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO) | San José, Costa Rica | |
| 12 | 103.04 miles (165.83 km) N | Guápiles Airport (GPL) | Guápiles, Costa Rica | |
| 13 | 104.30 miles (167.86 km) ENE | Bocas del Toro "Isla Colón" International Airport (BOC) | Bocas Town, Bocas del Toro, Panama | |
| 14 | 116.04 miles (186.75 km) NW | Tambor Airport (TMU) | Tambor, Costa Rica | |
| 15 | 127.18 miles (204.68 km) N | Tortuguero Airport (TTQ) | Tortuguero, Costa Rica | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,195.82 miles (19,627.22 km) S | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,923.76 miles (19,189.39 km) SSW | Rokot Airport (RKI) | Sipura, Indonesia | |
| 3 | 11,905.57 miles (19,160.11 km) SW | Fatmawati Soekarno Airport (BKS) | Bengkulu, Indonesia | |
| 4 | 11,858.75 miles (19,084.76 km) SW | Depati Parbo Airport (KRC) | Kerinci, Indonesia | |
| 5 | 11,824.78 miles (19,030.09 km) SSW | Minangkabau International Airport (MIA) (PDG) | Ketaping, West Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 11,789.54 miles (18,973.38 km) WSW | Christmas Island Airport (XCH) | Christmas Island, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,785.15 miles (18,966.31 km) WSW | Radin Inten II Airport (RIA II) (TKG) | Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 8 | 11,764.23 miles (18,932.65 km) WSW | Gunung Batin Airport (AKQ) | Astraksetra, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 11,746.51 miles (18,904.12 km) S | Binaka Airport (GNS) | Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 11,735.70 miles (18,886.73 km) SW | Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (SMB II) (PLM) | Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 11 | 11,735.43 miles (18,886.30 km) SW | Sultan Thaha Airport (DJB) | Jambi, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 11,711.19 miles (18,847.29 km) SSW | Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport (PKU) | Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 13 | 11,708.17 miles (18,842.42 km) WSW | Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 11,705.24 miles (18,837.71 km) SSW | Aek Godang Airport (AEG) | Padang Sidempuan, Indonesia | |
| 15 | 11,694.94 miles (18,821.14 km) WSW | Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |