Nonstop flight route between Valaparaiso (near Fort Walton Beach), Florida, United States and Buka Island, Papua New Guinea:
Departure Airport:
(30°28'59"N by 86°31'31"W)
Arrival Airport:
(5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E)
Distance from VPS to BUA:
8,116.34 miles (13,061.94 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- VPS Airport Information
- BUA Airport Information
- Facts about VPS
- Facts about BUA
- Map of Nearest Airports to VPS
- List of Nearest Airports to VPS
- Map of Furthest Airports from VPS
- List of Furthest Airports from VPS
- Map of Nearest Airports to BUA
- List of Nearest Airports to BUA
- Map of Furthest Airports from BUA
- List of Furthest Airports from BUA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS), Valaparaiso (near Fort Walton Beach), Florida, United States and Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,116 miles (or 13,062 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 Northwest Florida Regional Airport and Buka Island 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 Northwest Florida Regional Airport and Buka Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VPS / KVPS |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valaparaiso (near Fort Walton Beach), Florida, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 30°28'59"N by 86°31'31"W |
| Area Served: | Fort Walton Beach, Destin |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 87 feet (27 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VPS |
| More Information: | VPS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BUA / AYBK |
| Airport Name: | Buka Island Airport |
| Location: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
| GPS Coordinates: | 5°25'19"S by 154°40'21"E |
| Area Served: | Buka Island, Papua New Guinea |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 11 feet (3 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BUA |
| More Information: | BUA Maps & Info |
Facts about Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS):
- Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS) has 2 runways.
- Because of Northwest Florida Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 87 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Florida Regional 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.
- In addition to being known as "Northwest Florida Regional Airport", another name for VPS is "Eglin Air Force Base".
- The furthest airport from Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,174 miles (17,983 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
- Delta Air Lines is the only airline currently flying mainline jets into the airport with Airbus A319, Boeing 717 and McDonnell Douglas MD-88 jetliners.Delta Connection flies Canadair CRJ-200s and Canadair CRJ-700s from VPS as well.
- The closest airport to Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS) is Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (DSI), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) SSE of VPS.
Facts about Buka Island Airport (BUA):
- The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
- Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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.
- In January 1944, the Allies drove the Japanese out of Buka, and the airfield was used for operations against the Japanese over New Guinea.
- On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
- The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
- Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.
- Buka Airport is an airport serving Buka Island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 6.59 miles (10.61 km) SSE | Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (DSI) | Destin, Florida, United States |     |
| 2 | 11.54 miles (18.57 km) N | Duke FieldEglin Air Force Auxiliary Field #3 (EGI) | Crestview, Florida, United States | |
| 3 | 20.42 miles (32.86 km) N | Bob Sikes Airport (CEW) | Crestview, Florida, United States | |
| 4 | 33.90 miles (54.56 km) WNW | NAS Whiting Field - North (NSE) | Milton, Florida, United States | |
| 5 | 39.39 miles (63.39 km) W | Pensacola International Airport (PNS) | Pensacola, Florida, United States | |
| 6 | 44.33 miles (71.34 km) E | Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) | Panama City, Florida, United States | |
| 7 | 47.34 miles (76.19 km) W | Naval Air Station PensacolaForrest Sherman Field (NPA) | Pensacola, Florida, United States | |
| 8 | 48.41 miles (77.90 km) W | NOLF Saufley Field (NUN) | Pensacola, Florida, United States | |
| 9 | 53.61 miles (86.28 km) ESE | Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) | Panama City, Florida, United States | |
| 10 | 63.15 miles (101.62 km) ESE | Tyndall Air Force Base (PAM) | Panama City, Florida, United States | |
| 11 | 66.44 miles (106.93 km) W | NOLF Barin (NHX) | Foley, Alabama, United States | |
| 12 | 67.51 miles (108.64 km) NNE | Enterprise Municipal Airport (ETS) | Enterprise, Alabama, United States | |
| 13 | 69.62 miles (112.05 km) W | Jack Edwards Airport (GUF) | Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States | |
| 14 | 72.91 miles (117.34 km) NE | Cairns Army Airfield (AAF) (OZR) | Fort Rucker/Ozark, Alabama, United States | |
| 15 | 75.76 miles (121.93 km) NE | Lowe Army Heliport (AHP) (LOR) | Fort Rucker / Ozark, Alabama, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,174.16 miles (17,983.03 km) W | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,168.93 miles (17,974.60 km) W | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,158.28 miles (17,957.47 km) W | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,154.66 miles (17,951.65 km) S | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,152.83 miles (17,948.70 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,152.56 miles (17,948.27 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,143.99 miles (17,934.48 km) WSW | Carnarvon Airport (CVQ) | Carnarvon, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,136.89 miles (17,923.04 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,131.40 miles (17,914.21 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,122.19 miles (17,899.38 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,111.54 miles (17,882.24 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,106.25 miles (17,873.74 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,105.82 miles (17,873.03 km) W | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,091.58 miles (17,850.12 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,084.85 miles (17,839.29 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 70.73 miles (113.82 km) NNW | Nissan Island Airport (IIS) | Nissan Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 2 | 94.46 miles (152.01 km) SE | Kieta/Aropa Airport (KIE) | Kieta, Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 3 | 136.91 miles (220.34 km) SE | Balalae Airport (BAS) | Ballalae, Solomon Islands | |
| 4 | 148.20 miles (238.51 km) SE | Choiseul Bay Airport (CHY) | Choiseul Bay, Taro Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 5 | 150.79 miles (242.66 km) SSE | Mono Airport (MNY) | Stirling Island, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands | |
| 6 | 174.66 miles (281.09 km) WNW | Rabaul Airport (RAB) | Rabaul, Papua New Guinea | |
| 7 | 195.74 miles (315.01 km) NW | Namatanai Airport (ATN) | Namatanai, Papua New Guinea | |
| 8 | 198.38 miles (319.26 km) W | Manguna Airport (MFO) | Manguna, Papua New Guinea | |
| 9 | 216.52 miles (348.46 km) NW | Lihir Island Regional Airport (LNV) | Londolovit, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea | |
| 10 | 218.28 miles (351.28 km) W | Jacquinot Bay Airport (JAQ) | Jacquinot Bay, Papua New Guinea | |
| 11 | 238.34 miles (383.57 km) SE | Nusatupe Airport (GZO) | Gizo / Nusatupe, Western Province, Solomon Islands | |
| 12 | 239.73 miles (385.81 km) ESE | Kaghau Airport (KGE) | Kagau Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 13 | 268.10 miles (431.47 km) SE | Munda Airport (MUA) | Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon Islands | |
| 14 | 288.56 miles (464.39 km) SSW | Guasopa Airport (GAZ) | Guasopa, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 293.54 miles (472.41 km) W | Hoskins Airport (HKN) | Hoskins, Papua New Guinea | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,780.59 miles (18,958.98 km) N | São Filipe Airport (SFL) | Fogo, Cape Verde | |
| 2 | 11,768.57 miles (18,939.63 km) N | Praia International Airport (RAI) | Praia, Cape Verde | |
| 3 | 11,768.55 miles (18,939.59 km) N | Mosteiros Airport (MTI) | Mosteiros, Cape Verde | |
| 4 | 11,749.15 miles (18,908.38 km) NNW | Maio Airport (MMO) | Maio, Cape Verde | |
| 5 | 11,678.23 miles (18,794.25 km) NNW | Aristides Pereira International Airport (BVC) | Boa Vista, Cape Verde | |
| 6 | 11,678.02 miles (18,793.91 km) NW | Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) | Cap Skirring, Senegal | |
| 7 | 11,671.84 miles (18,783.96 km) WNW | Bubaque Airport (BQE) | Bubaque, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 8 | 11,662.10 miles (18,768.29 km) N | Preguiça Airport (SNE) | São Nicolau, Cape Verde | |
| 9 | 11,648.17 miles (18,745.87 km) N | Cesária Évora International Airport (VXE) | São Vicente, Cape Verde | |
| 10 | 11,647.20 miles (18,744.31 km) NW | Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) | Ziguinchor, Senegal | |
| 11 | 11,639.22 miles (18,731.47 km) NW | Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (OXB) | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | |
| 12 | 11,638.24 miles (18,729.88 km) NNW | Amílcar Cabral International Airport (SID) | Sal Island, Cape Verde | |
| 13 | 11,631.66 miles (18,719.29 km) NW | Banjul International Airport (BJL) | Banjul, Gambia | |
| 14 | 11,629.96 miles (18,716.56 km) NE | Governador Carlos Wilson Airport (FEN) | Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,622.66 miles (18,704.82 km) N | Agostinho Neto Airport (NTO) | Ponta do Sol, Santo Antão, Cape Verde | |