Nonstop flight route between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Kirkwall Airport (KOI), Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,243 miles (or 6,828 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 Vancouver International Airport and Kirkwall 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 Vancouver International Airport and Kirkwall 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 Vancouver International Airport (YVR):

• Low resistance carpeting and other materials such as laminate flooring have been utilized throughout the airport to make it easier for people using wheelchairs and walkers to move throughout the airport.
• In May 2005, the federal government, which owns the airport land, announced it was cutting rent costs by 54%.
• The closest airport to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Vancouver Harbour Water Airport (CXH), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) NNE of YVR.
• The furthest airport from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,685 miles (17,196 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• YVR recently completed a $1.4-billion multi-year capital development plan, which included a four-gate expansion to the International Terminal Wing, completed in June 2007.
• The International and Domestic terminals are one very large building divided into two sections, while the South terminal is located in a remote part of the airport.
• Because of Vancouver International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Vancouver 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.
• In 1927, Charles Lindbergh refused to include Vancouver in his North American tour because of the lack of a proper airport.
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has 3 runways.

Facts about Kirkwall Airport (KOI):

• The closest airport to Kirkwall Airport (KOI) is Stronsay Airport (SOY), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) NE of KOI.
• Because of Kirkwall Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Kirkwall 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.
• Kirkwall Airport (KOI) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Kirkwall Airport (KOI) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,525 miles (18,548 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• Kirkwall Airport handled 145,897 passengers last year.