Nonstop flight route between Meizhou, Guangdong, China and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Meixian Airport (MXZ), Meizhou, Guangdong, China and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,568 miles (or 5,742 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 Meixian Airport and Eareckson Air Station, 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 Meixian Airport and Eareckson Air Station. 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 Meixian Airport (MXZ):

• The furthest airport from Meixian Airport (MXZ) is Gobernador Horacio Guzmán Internacional Airport (JUJ), which is nearly antipodal to Meixian Airport (meaning Meixian Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gobernador Horacio Guzmán Internacional Airport), and is located 12,360 miles (19,891 kilometers) away in San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina.
• In addition to being known as "Meixian Airport", other names for MXZ include "梅县机场" and "Méixiàn Jīchǎng".
• The closest airport to Meixian Airport (MXZ) is Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (SWA), which is located 60 miles (96 kilometers) SSE of MXZ.
• Meixian Airport (MXZ) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• The mission of Eleventh Air Force was to take advantage of the new airfields on Shemya and Attu, and carry out offensive operations against the enemy forces in the Kuriles.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station 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 Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• On 10 July 1943, eight B-25 Mitchells from the 77th Bombardment Squadron left Adak AAF and refueled at Alexai Point AAF on Attu.
• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• Shemya also continued to support the Great Circle Route for MATS and later Military Airlift Command transports between Japan and Elmendorf AFB.
• There is also an NDB, TACAN and a VOR on the island.
• Jurisdiction of Shemya AFB was transferred from the Aerospace Defense Command to the Strategic Air Command when the former was inactivated on 1 October 1979.
• On 6 April 1993, Shemya Air Force Base was renamed Eareckson Air Station.
• The limited resources assigned to the Eleventh Air Force meant only a limited number of missions could be carried out over the Kuriles.
• In 1958, the Air Force resumed operations on Shemya in support of various Air Force and Army strategic intelligence collection activities.
• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• By August, Eleventh Air Force B-24s were carrying out successful and accurate attacks on the Japanese military installations and the B-25s were successful in driving the Japanese fishing and much of the shipping out of the North Pacific.