Nonstop flight route between Decatur, Alabama, United States and Upington, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W)
Arrival Airport:
(28°24'3"S by 21°15'34"E)
Distance from DCU to UTN:
8,275.32 miles (13,317.81 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- DCU Airport Information
- UTN Airport Information
- Facts about DCU
- Facts about UTN
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to UTN
- List of Nearest Airports to UTN
- Map of Furthest Airports from UTN
- List of Furthest Airports from UTN
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States and Upington Airport (UTN), Upington, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,275 miles (or 13,318 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 Pryor Field Regional Airport and Upington 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 Pryor Field Regional Airport and Upington Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
| Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
| Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
| Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
| More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | UTN / FAUP |
| Airport Name: | Upington Airport |
| Location: | Upington, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°24'3"S by 21°15'34"E |
| Area Served: | Upington, Northern Cape |
| Airport Type: | Public (International for Cargo only) |
| Elevation: | 2791 feet (851 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from UTN |
| More Information: | UTN Maps & Info |
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- Opened in October 1941 with 4,600 by 4,600 feet square all-direction turf runway.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field Regional 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 furthest airport from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- A newly built $1.8 million terminal building opened in 2008 at the north end of the field as part of a federally funded $3.3 million project.
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Upington Airport (UTN):
- Upington Airport's uncommonly long runway and its strategically advantageous location, close to South Africa's northern borders, makes it ideally placed to serve the African continent.
- The closest airport to Upington Airport (UTN) is Johan Pienaar Airport (KMH), which is located 147 miles (236 kilometers) ENE of UTN.
- Upington Airport serves as an international cargo hub.
- Upington Airport is an airport located in Upington, Northern Cape, South Africa.
- The furthest airport from Upington Airport (UTN) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is nearly antipodal to Upington Airport (meaning Upington Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Princeville Airport), and is located 12,007 miles (19,323 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
- Upington Airport (UTN) has 3 runways.
- Upington Airport's runway was built to accommodate a Boeing 747 with a full load of passengers, cargo and fuel, so that it could take off for Europe without having to stop along the way.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 9.75 miles (15.69 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States |     |
| 2 | 14.90 miles (23.98 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 35.39 miles (56.96 km) NE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 4 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) W | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) NNW | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 6 | 63.86 miles (102.77 km) NE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 67.85 miles (109.19 km) SE | Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | |
| 8 | 68.70 miles (110.56 km) NNE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 9 | 70.49 miles (113.44 km) ENE | Franklin County Airport (UOS) | Sewanee, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 70.57 miles (113.57 km) WSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 11 | 76.14 miles (122.53 km) S | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 12 | 82.06 miles (132.06 km) ENE | Marion County Airport (APT) | Jasper, Tennessee, United States | |
| 13 | 85.51 miles (137.62 km) SSE | St. Clair County Airport (PLR) | Pell City, Alabama, United States | |
| 14 | 86.47 miles (139.16 km) NNW | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 15 | 90.74 miles (146.03 km) SE | Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN) | Talladega, Alabama, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,179.89 miles (17,992.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,160.27 miles (17,960.66 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,140.94 miles (17,929.56 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,128.73 miles (17,909.90 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,124.24 miles (17,902.69 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,122.62 miles (17,900.07 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,110.85 miles (17,881.13 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,104.61 miles (17,871.09 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,103.33 miles (17,869.03 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,097.40 miles (17,859.49 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,074.48 miles (17,822.60 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,050.67 miles (17,784.29 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,041.81 miles (17,770.02 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,035.79 miles (17,760.33 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,032.55 miles (17,755.12 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 146.66 miles (236.03 km) ENE | Johan Pienaar Airport (KMH) | Kuruman, South Africa | |
| 2 | 155.89 miles (250.89 km) W | Karasburg Airport (KAS) | Karasburg, Namibia | |
| 3 | 160.04 miles (257.56 km) WSW | Wild Coast Sun Airport (MZF) | Mzamba, South Africa | |
| 4 | 160.05 miles (257.58 km) WSW | Aggeneys Airport (AGZ) | Aggeneys, South Africa | |
| 5 | 214.34 miles (344.94 km) E | Kimberley Airport (KIM) | Kimberley, South Africa | |
| 6 | 231.91 miles (373.22 km) WNW | Keetmanshoop Airport (KMP) | Keetmanshoop, Namibia | |
| 7 | 266.79 miles (429.36 km) WSW | Kleinsee Airport (KLZ) | Kleinzee, South Africa | |
| 8 | 287.18 miles (462.18 km) W | Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) | Alexander Bay, South Africa | |
| 9 | 306.36 miles (493.03 km) N | Hukuntsi Airport (HUK) | Hukuntsi, Botswana | |
| 10 | 309.26 miles (497.71 km) E | Bloemfontein International Airport (BFN) | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | |
| 11 | 318.65 miles (512.81 km) ENE | Mafikeng Airport (MBD) | Mmabatho, South Africa | |
| 12 | 337.98 miles (543.92 km) NE | Jwaneng Airport (JWA) | Jwaneng, Botswana | |
| 13 | 352.72 miles (567.65 km) NE | Lobatse Airport (LOQ) | Lobatse, Botswana | |
| 14 | 373.91 miles (601.74 km) ESE | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 387.10 miles (622.97 km) WNW | Lüderitz Airport (LUD) | Luderitz, Namibia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,006.72 miles (19,322.89 km) N | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,991.30 miles (19,298.08 km) N | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,991.29 miles (19,298.07 km) N | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,984.18 miles (19,286.62 km) N | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,964.24 miles (19,254.54 km) N | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,956.91 miles (19,242.74 km) N | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,944.87 miles (19,223.35 km) N | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,944.77 miles (19,223.20 km) N | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,944.77 miles (19,223.20 km) N | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,927.84 miles (19,195.94 km) NNW | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,925.50 miles (19,192.19 km) NNW | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,906.78 miles (19,162.06 km) NNW | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,898.77 miles (19,149.17 km) NNW | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,898.56 miles (19,148.83 km) NNW | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,884.17 miles (19,125.67 km) NNW | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |