Nonstop flight route between Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Altoona–Blair County Airport (AOO), Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,477 miles (or 13,643 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 Altoona–Blair County Airport and King Shaka International, 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 Altoona–Blair County Airport and King Shaka International. 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 Altoona–Blair County Airport (AOO):

• Altoona–Blair County Airport has 46 small aircraft T-hangars that it rents to aircraft owners, while construction of more is under way.
• The furthest airport from Altoona–Blair County Airport (AOO) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,578 miles (18,633 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Altoona–Blair County Airport (AOO) is John Murtha Johnstown–Cambria County Airport (JST), which is located 27 miles (44 kilometers) W of AOO.
• Altoona–Blair County Airport (AOO) has 2 runways.
• Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 11,051 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 6,439 in 2009 and 4,378 in 2010.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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 closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• The airport forms part of the Dube Tradeport, which will additionally consist of a trade zone linked to the airport's cargo terminal, facilities to support the airport such as nearby offices and transit accommodation for tourists, an integrated agricultural export zone, and an IT platform.
• The cargo terminal will form one component of the Dube TradePort's TradeZone Precinct, which will additionally be home to trade and logistics warehousing as well as cargo and light industry activities that require quick access to air cargo services, and will cover an area of 36 hectares.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 27 January 2014 the worlds largest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380-800 of British Airways landed at KSIA becoming the first A380 to do so.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• Despite wide expectations that the airport would be named "King Shaka International Airport", it emerged in October 2009 that the airport needed to undergo a formal naming process.