Nonstop flight route between Valenciennes, France and Gulfport, Mississippi, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS), Valenciennes, France and Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,738 miles (or 7,625 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport and Gulfport–Biloxi 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport and Gulfport–Biloxi 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 Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS):

• In French control after the war, the airport sat abandoned for several years.
• Because of Valenciennes-Denain Airport's relatively low elevation of 177 feet, planes can take off or land at Valenciennes-Denain 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.
• Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) currently has only 1 runway.
• In response to the interceptor attacks, Denain was attacked by USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauder medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolts mostly with 500-pound General-Purpose bombs.
• In addition, a reconnaissance unit, Aufklärungsgruppe 12 was assigned to Denain in October 1940 with Henschel Hs 126 twin-seat light observation planes.
• The furthest airport from Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,987 miles (19,291 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Denain Airport began as a pre-World War II airport in France, most likely with a grass runway and several support buildings and a hangar.
• The closest airport to Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) is Lille Airport (LIL), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) NW of XVS.
• After the construction of a military airfield at Denain, the airfield was reactivated by the Luftwaffe, stationing Jagdgeschwader 3, a day fighter-interceptor unit assigned to the "Defense of the Reich" campaign against the American Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attacking targets in Occupied Europe and Germany.
• In addition to being known as "Valenciennes-Denain Airport", another name for XVS is "(Advanced Landing Ground A-83/B-74)".

Facts about Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT):

• GPT currently has five airlines providing scheduled passenger service to six airports.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) has 2 runways.
• Because of Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport's relatively low elevation of 28 feet, planes can take off or land at Gulfport–Biloxi 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.
• The furthest airport from Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,123 miles (17,900 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Gulfport, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States.
• The airport was closed for repairs following severe damage by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005.
• Through the late 1970s, Southern Airways continued as the primary airline, followed by successors Republic Airlines and Northwest Airlines into the 1990s.
• The closest airport to Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Keesler Air Force Base (BIX), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) E of GPT.