Nonstop flight route between Aachen, Germany and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Merzbrück Airfield (AAH), Aachen, Germany and King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,785 miles (or 4,483 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 Merzbrück Airfield and King Khalid 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 Merzbrück Airfield and King Khalid 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 Merzbrück Airfield (AAH):

• In addition to being known as "Merzbrück Airfield", another name for AAH is "Flugplatz Merzbrück".
• The airport was built about 1932 as a grass airfield, and throughout the 1930s was used by small light aircraft.
• Merzbrück Airfield (AAH) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Merzbrück Airfield's relatively low elevation of 623 feet, planes can take off or land at Merzbrück Airfield 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 Merzbrück Airfield (AAH) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,937 miles (19,210 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Merzbrück Airfield (AAH) is NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) NNW of AAH.
• After the war, the airport was used by the British Forces Germany and later by the Belgian Forces in Germany.
• With the outbreak of World War II, Merzbrück was used by the Luftwaffe, with IV./LG 1 and I./St.G.

Facts about King Khalid International Airport (RUH):

• In addition to being known as "King Khalid International Airport", another name for RUH is "مطار الملك خالد الدولي".
• The families of the airport workers are still living in K.K.I.A Housing Facility.
• The furthest airport from King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is nearly antipodal to King Khalid International Airport (meaning King Khalid International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Totegegie Airport), and is located 12,273 miles (19,752 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• The closest airport to King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is Dawadmi Domestic Airport (DWD), which is located 166 miles (266 kilometers) WSW of RUH.
• This airport was an alternative landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle.
• This facility has five separate Fire Houses, with several modern fire fighting vehicles, and trained firefighters.
• Additional passenger conveniences in the terminal complex include 80 elevators and escalators.
• King Khalid International Airport handled 13,919,000 passengers last year.
• Heads of state and other high-ranking VIP visitors to the Kingdom are greeted in the Royal Pavilion.
• In addition, during the 1990–1991 Gulf War, the airport was the home to 205 General Evacuation Hospital RAMC of the British Army, who were accommodated at the nearby Singles Compound.
• The 1703rd ARW was composed mainly of KC-135 Stratotankers and used the north western firehouse as its headquarters of air operations.
• King Khalid International Airport (RUH) has 2 runways.