Nonstop flight route between Christmas Island, Australia and Walla Walla, Washington, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Christmas Island Airport (XCH), Christmas Island, Australia and Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base (ALW), Walla Walla, Washington, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,873 miles (or 14,280 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 Christmas Island Airport and Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base, 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 Christmas Island Airport and Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base. 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 Christmas Island Airport (XCH):

• Traffic to and from the airport varies greatly.
• Because of Christmas Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 916 feet, planes can take off or land at Christmas 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.
• A brief revival of the "old days" happened in 2001 during the "Tampa" crisis when the heightened Royal Australian Air Force traffic was complemented by a large number of Department of Immigration and Citizenship and media charters.
• The airport's location at the top of a hill, with a 2% mid-runway gradient, makes it a challenging landing for pilots.
• From the late 1940s, when the island was still a British colony administered by Singapore and the Straits Settlements Administration, it was serviced occasionally by Royal Air Force Short Sunderland flying boats before the construction of the airport.
• After the closure of the casino, the resort was taken over by the Asia Pacific Space Centre, which developed plans for a satellite launch facility on Christmas Island.
• The furthest airport from Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is nearly antipodal to Christmas Island Airport (meaning Christmas Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Barranquilla, Colombia.
• The closest airport to Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Cibeureum Airfield (TSY), which is located 276 miles (445 kilometers) NE of XCH.
• Christmas Island Airport handled 27,286 passengers last year.
• Christmas Island Airport (XCH) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base (ALW):

• The War Department announced they would be spending over 7.5 million dollars to construct an Army Air Corps Training Airfield adjacent to the existing Walla Walla Airfield.
• Walla Walla University and Skyrunners Corporation operate flight schools on the field, from primary training through multi-engine, commercial, and other training.
• Late in 1943, Walla Walla Army Airfield lay idle when the Second Air Force withdrew its B-17 Flying Fortress training operation.
• The closest airport to Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base (ALW) is Eastern Oregon Regional Airport (PDT), which is located 38 miles (62 kilometers) SW of ALW.
• The furthest airport from Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base (ALW) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,768 miles (17,330 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Walla Walla Regional AirportWalla Walla Army Air Base (ALW) has 3 runways.
• During the war years, it is estimated that more than 8,000 officers and men were trained at this base producing 594 heavy bomber crews who compiled about 114,514 hours in the air while in training.
• Currently, Horizon Air operates Bombardier Q400 propjets into Walla Walla on behalf of Alaska Airlines.