Nonstop flight route between Cape Town, South Africa and Cherbourg, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Cape Town, South Africa and Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER), Cherbourg, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,907 miles (or 9,507 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 Cape Town International Airport and Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 Cape Town International Airport and Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 Cape Town International Airport (CPT):

• The terminal contains 10 air bridges, evenly split between domestic and international usage.
• Because of Cape Town International Airport's relatively low elevation of 151 feet, planes can take off or land at Cape Town 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.
• In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Cape Town International Airport was extensively expanded and renovated.
• Cape Town International Airport recorded 7.8 million passengers in 2008–2009, down from 8.4 million passengers the year before.
• Cape Town International Airport handled 8,505,563 passengers last year.
• With the fall of apartheid in the early 1990s, ownership of the airport was transferred from the state to the newly formed Airports Company South Africa, and the airport was renamed to the politically neutral Cape Town International Airport.
• The terminal building has a split-level design, with departures located in the upper floors and arrivals in the lower floors.
• Cape Town International Airport was opened in 1954, a year after Jan Smuts Airport on the Witwatersrand opened.
• Cape Town International Airport (CPT) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 217 miles (349 kilometers) E of CPT.
• The furthest airport from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,616 miles (18,693 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.

Facts about Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER):

• After the Americans moved east into Central France with the advancing Allied Armies, the airfield was used as a resupply and casualty evacuation airfield for several months, before being closed on 22 December 1944.
• The closest airport to Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) is Alderney Airport (ACI), which is located 33 miles (54 kilometers) W of CER.
• Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport (CER) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,973 miles (19,269 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• The 363d Fighter Group, based P-38 Lightning fighters at Maupertus from 9 July through August 1944.
• In addition to being known as "Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport", other names for CER include "Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus" and "(Advanced Landing Ground A-15)".
• Because of Cherbourg - Maupertus Airport's relatively low elevation of 459 feet, planes can take off or land at Cherbourg - Maupertus 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 enemy, however, continued to offer determined resistance and not until the following day was the airfield finally taken.