Nonstop flight route between Bluefield, West Virginia, United States and East London, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(37°17'44"N by 81°12'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E)
Distance from BLF to ELS:
8,513.28 miles (13,700.76 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- BLF Airport Information
- ELS Airport Information
- Facts about BLF
- Facts about ELS
- Map of Nearest Airports to BLF
- List of Nearest Airports to BLF
- Map of Furthest Airports from BLF
- List of Furthest Airports from BLF
- Map of Nearest Airports to ELS
- List of Nearest Airports to ELS
- Map of Furthest Airports from ELS
- List of Furthest Airports from ELS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Mercer County Airport (BLF), Bluefield, West Virginia, United States and East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,513 miles (or 13,701 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 Mercer County Airport and East London 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 Mercer County Airport and East London Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BLF / KBLF |
| Airport Name: | Mercer County Airport |
| Location: | Bluefield, West Virginia, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°17'44"N by 81°12'28"W |
| Area Served: | Bluefield / Princeton, West Virginia |
| Operator/Owner: | Mercer County Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2857 feet (871 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BLF |
| More Information: | BLF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ELS / FAEL |
| Airport Name: | East London Airport |
| Location: | East London, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E |
| Area Served: | East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 436 feet (133 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ELS |
| More Information: | ELS Maps & Info |
Facts about Mercer County Airport (BLF):
- The airport has been served by commercial airlines in the past.
- Mercer County Airport (BLF) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Mercer County Airport (BLF) is New River Valley Airport (PSK), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) ESE of BLF.
- The furthest airport from Mercer County Airport (BLF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,493 miles (18,496 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about East London Airport (ELS):
- The closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.
- In 1965 the airport was again moved, this time to its present site, 9 km west of the city centre.
- The furthest airport from East London Airport (ELS) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is located 11,569 miles (18,618 kilometers) away in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States.
- East London Airport (ELS) has 2 runways.
- Because of East London Airport's relatively low elevation of 436 feet, planes can take off or land at East London 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 airport had an inauspicious beginning in 1927, when Lieut Colonel Alistair Miller asked the East London town council to help establish a municipal aerodrome at Woodbrook, west of the city.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 31.11 miles (50.07 km) ESE | New River Valley Airport (PSK) | Dublin, Virginia, United States |     |
| 2 | 34.26 miles (55.13 km) N | Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) | Beckley, West Virginia, United States | |
| 3 | 44.42 miles (71.48 km) E | Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport (BCB) | Blacksburg, Virginia, United States | |
| 4 | 58.90 miles (94.80 km) NE | Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB) | Lewisburg, West Virginia, United States | |
| 5 | 61.99 miles (99.76 km) SW | Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) | Abingdon, Virginia, United States | |
| 6 | 67.75 miles (109.03 km) E | Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) | Roanoke, Virginia, United States | |
| 7 | 74.39 miles (119.72 km) S | Wilkes County Airport (IKB) | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States | |
| 8 | 75.88 miles (122.11 km) WSW | Lonesome Pine Airport (LNP) | Wise, Virginia, United States | |
| 9 | 77.53 miles (124.77 km) NNW | Yeager Airport (CRW) | Charleston, West Virginia, United States | |
| 10 | 87.23 miles (140.39 km) SW | Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) | Blountville, Tennessee (Tri-Cities area), United States | |
| 11 | 97.11 miles (156.28 km) SE | Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States | |
| 12 | 104.38 miles (167.99 km) SSW | Foothills Regional Airport (MRN) | Morganton, North Carolina, United States | |
| 13 | 104.45 miles (168.10 km) NW | Tri-State Airport (HTS) | Huntington, West Virginia, United States | |
| 14 | 104.64 miles (168.41 km) NW | Lawrence County Airpark (HTW) | Chesapeake, Ohio / Huntington, West Virginia, United States | |
| 15 | 107.89 miles (173.64 km) S | Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) | Hickory, North Carolina, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,493.06 miles (18,496.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,471.25 miles (18,461.14 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,448.92 miles (18,425.21 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,443.63 miles (18,416.70 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,418.96 miles (18,376.99 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,403.58 miles (18,352.24 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,394.39 miles (18,337.45 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,387.55 miles (18,326.44 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,364.93 miles (18,290.03 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,349.04 miles (18,264.47 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,346.23 miles (18,259.94 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,320.00 miles (18,217.74 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,297.53 miles (18,181.57 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,293.50 miles (18,175.09 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,265.80 miles (18,130.50 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 65.15 miles (104.85 km) WSW | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 2 | 114.31 miles (183.96 km) NNE | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 3 | 143.28 miles (230.59 km) WSW | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 4 | 210.82 miles (339.28 km) NE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 221.32 miles (356.17 km) N | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 6 | 222.73 miles (358.45 km) NNE | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 7 | 226.04 miles (363.78 km) N | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 228.78 miles (368.18 km) N | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 247.37 miles (398.09 km) N | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 269.67 miles (433.99 km) NNE | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 279.14 miles (449.23 km) NNE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 12 | 286.72 miles (461.43 km) NNW | Bloemfontein International Airport (BFN) | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | |
| 13 | 289.10 miles (465.25 km) N | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 305.60 miles (491.81 km) NE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 15 | 320.45 miles (515.72 km) WSW | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,568.58 miles (18,617.79 km) NNE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,567.16 miles (18,615.49 km) NNE | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,563.78 miles (18,610.05 km) NNE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,562.20 miles (18,607.51 km) NNE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,561.78 miles (18,606.84 km) NNE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,558.95 miles (18,602.28 km) NNE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,558.59 miles (18,601.70 km) NNE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,558.30 miles (18,601.24 km) NNE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,556.31 miles (18,598.04 km) NNE | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,554.09 miles (18,594.46 km) NNE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,554.09 miles (18,594.46 km) NNE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,549.72 miles (18,587.42 km) NNE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,545.26 miles (18,580.25 km) NNE | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,543.40 miles (18,577.26 km) NNE | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,541.15 miles (18,573.63 km) NNE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |