Nonstop flight route between Christchurch, New Zealand and Arcachon, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Christchurch International Airport (CHC), Christchurch, New Zealand and La Teste-de-Buch Airport (XAC), Arcachon, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 12,112 miles (or 19,492 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 Christchurch International Airport and La Teste-de-Buch 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 Christchurch International Airport and La Teste-de-Buch Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

The distance between CHC and XAC makes them almost exactly antipodal (the exact opposite side of the world) to each other. Nonstop flights between Christchurch International Airport and La Teste-de-Buch Airport would be very impractical for the airlines, because only a lightly loaded Boeing 777-200LR would be able to make the trip. Since airlines need to be able to take as many people and cargo as possible in order to make a profit, the odds of ever seeing a nonstop flight between CHC and XAC are slim to none. However, you'll still be able to get from Christchurch, New Zealand and Arcachon, France by taking some connecting flights!

Did you know that one full circling of the Earth (measuring from the equator) is about 24,901.5 miles (or 40,075 kilometers), which means if you were 12,450 miles from any given point on the planet, the distance back to your starting point would be about the same -- in any direction! The same can be said for a nonstop flight between CHC and XAC!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Christchurch International Airport (CHC):

• Because of Christchurch International Airport's relatively low elevation of 123 feet, planes can take off or land at Christchurch 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.
• The closest airport to Christchurch International Airport (CHC) is Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) SW of CHC.
• Christchurch International Airport (CHC) has 3 runways.
• A number of different taxi and shuttle companies operate services from the airport terminals.
• The furthest airport from Christchurch International Airport (CHC) is A Coruña Airport (LCG), which is nearly antipodal to Christchurch International Airport (meaning Christchurch International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from A Coruña Airport), and is located 12,389 miles (19,939 kilometers) away in A Coruña, Spain.
• 5,592,529 passengers travelled in and out of Christchurch International Airport from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.
• Stage 1 of the new terminal, including the new check-in hall, new food/retail precinct, new single domestic security screening, and the new regional departure lounge and baggage claim of the new terminal was completed in May 2011, allowing the old international check-in and the old domestic terminal north of the main pier to be demolished to make way for Stage 2.
• There are several general aviation organisations operating from the airport.
• Christchurch International Airport handled 556,096 passengers last year.

Facts about La Teste-de-Buch Airport (XAC):

• Because of La Teste-de-Buch Airport's relatively low elevation of 49 feet, planes can take off or land at La Teste-de-Buch 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.
• In addition to being known as "La Teste-de-Buch Airport", another name for XAC is "Aéroport d'Arcachon - La Teste-de-Buch".
• La Teste-de-Buch Airport (XAC) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to La Teste-de-Buch Airport (XAC) is Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) NE of XAC.
• The furthest airport from La Teste-de-Buch Airport (XAC) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to La Teste-de-Buch Airport (meaning La Teste-de-Buch Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,200 miles (19,634 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.