Nonstop flight route between Buka Island, Papua New Guinea and Montego Bay, Jamaica:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Buka Island Airport (BUA), Buka Island, Papua New Guinea and Sangster International Airport (MBJ), Montego Bay, Jamaica would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,784 miles (or 14,136 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 Buka Island Airport and Sangster 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 Buka Island Airport and Sangster 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 Buka Island Airport (BUA):

• On 26 July, an Imperial Japanese Navy special detachment was sent to inspect Buka Airfield, but considered it unacceptable as a prospect for a speedily constructed major airfield.
• Because of Buka Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 11 feet, planes can take off or land at Buka Island 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.
• On 13 May 1943 Allied reconnaissance observed 36 fighters and 6 bombers at the airstrip.
• The closest airport to Buka Island Airport (BUA) is Nissan Island Airport (IIS), which is located 71 miles (114 kilometers) NNW of BUA.
• Today the airport is the primary air portal into Bougainville, and even 60 years after the war, wreckage from the military use of the airfield by the Japanese and Americans is easily found in the area.
• The furthest airport from Buka Island Airport (BUA) is São Filipe Airport (SFL), which is located 11,781 miles (18,959 kilometers) away in Fogo, Cape Verde.
• Buka Island Airport (BUA) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Sangster International Airport (MBJ):

• Over the years, the upgrading process was a continuous one, ultimately the facility had grown into the larger of the two international airports in Jamaica, handling approximately 3.7 million passengers per annum in 2007, and has seen an increase in passenger and aircraft movement since the start of 2008.
• The closest airport to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is Negril Aerodrome (NEG), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) WSW of MBJ.
• Sangster International Airport (MBJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,877 miles (19,115 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Sangster International Airport handled 3,381,490 passengers last year.
• Of the approximately 1.7 million annual visitors to Jamaica, 72% use SIA as their primary airport.
• In 2006, there was a change in management at the airport following the change in the consortium that operates this facility.
• Because of Sangster International Airport's relatively low elevation of 4 feet, planes can take off or land at Sangster 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.