Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Cotonou, Benin:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (COO), Cotonou, Benin would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,238 miles (or 10,039 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 Des Moines International Airport and Cotonou Cadjehoun 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 Des Moines International Airport and Cotonou Cadjehoun 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 Des Moines International Airport (DSM):

• The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
• On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
• The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
• In 2012, the airport had 1,038,484 enplanementsFederal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 919,990 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 853,596 in 2009 and 932,828 in 2011.
• The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
• Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines 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 addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
• This airport is in in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.
• The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
• In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.

Facts about Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (COO):

• Plans were revived in 2011 and President Yayi Boni presided at a ceremonial start to the construction of the new airport, using South African funding.
• Because of Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at Cotonou Cadjehoun 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 Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (COO) is Murtala Muhammed International Airport (LOS), which is located 66 miles (106 kilometers) ENE of COO.
• The furthest airport from Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (COO) is Funafuti International Airport (FUN), which is nearly antipodal to Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (meaning Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Funafuti International Airport), and is located 12,172 miles (19,589 kilometers) away in Funafuti, Tuvalu.
• Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport (COO) currently has only 1 runway.