Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Francistown, Botswana:
Departure Airport:
(41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W)
Arrival Airport:
(21°9'33"S by 27°28'27"E)
Distance from DSM to FRW:
8,767.46 miles (14,109.82 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- FRW Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about FRW
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to FRW
- List of Nearest Airports to FRW
- Map of Furthest Airports from FRW
- List of Furthest Airports from FRW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW), Francistown, Botswana would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,767 miles (or 14,110 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 Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base, 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 Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DSM / KDSM |
| Airport Name: | Des Moines International Airport |
| Location: | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W |
| Area Served: | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Des Moines |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 958 feet (292 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DSM |
| More Information: | DSM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FRW / FBFT |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Francistown, Botswana |
| GPS Coordinates: | 21°9'33"S by 27°28'27"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Botswana Defence Force/Botswana CAA |
| Airport Type: | Public/Military |
| Elevation: | 3283 feet (1,001 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FRW |
| More Information: | FRW Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- 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.
- As of March 2014, Delta Air Lines handled of DSM passengers, followed by United Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport covers 2,625 acres at an elevation of 958 feet above mean sea level.
- 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.
- This airport is in in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.
Facts about Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW):
- Two new runways are being added as well as the renovations of the current ones.
- The furthest airport from Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is nearly antipodal to Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (meaning Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hilo International Airport), and is located 12,246 miles (19,707 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) is Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ), which is located 108 miles (174 kilometers) NE of FRW.
- The new terminal building opened in 2011 and the old terminal is now used by the Botswana Defence Force.
- In 2011 the airport's ownership of the old terminal was transferred to the Botswana Defence Force and became a military airport, with civilian traffic moved to the new Francistown International Airport terminal to the west of the airport lands.
- In addition to being known as "Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base", another name for FRW is "FBFT [1]".
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11.96 miles (19.24 km) NNE | Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV) | Ankeny, Iowa, United States |     |
| 2 | 31.72 miles (51.05 km) N | Ames Municipal Airport (AMW) | Ames, Iowa, United States | |
| 3 | 32.71 miles (52.64 km) NW | Perry Municipal Airport (PRO) | Perry, Iowa, United States | |
| 4 | 34.53 miles (55.57 km) ENE | Newton Municipal Airport (TNU) | Newton, Iowa, United States | |
| 5 | 36.87 miles (59.33 km) NNW | Boone Municipal Airport (BNW) | Boone, Iowa, United States | |
| 6 | 50.75 miles (81.68 km) SW | Creston Municipal Airport (CSQ) | Creston, Iowa, United States | |
| 7 | 63.25 miles (101.79 km) N | Webster City Municipal Airport (EBS) | Webster City, Iowa, United States | |
| 8 | 67.94 miles (109.34 km) WNW | Arthur N. Neu Airport (CIN) | Carroll, Iowa, United States | |
| 9 | 69.61 miles (112.03 km) ESE | Ottumwa Regional Airport (OTM) | Ottumwa, Iowa, United States | |
| 10 | 72.18 miles (116.16 km) W | Atlantic Municipal Airport (AIO) | Atlantic, Iowa, United States | |
| 11 | 75.34 miles (121.25 km) NNW | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD) | Fort Dodge, Iowa, United States | |
| 12 | 88.26 miles (142.04 km) NNW | Humboldt Municipal Airport (HUD) | Humboldt, Iowa, United States | |
| 13 | 93.36 miles (150.25 km) ESE | Fairfield Municipal Airport (FFL) | Fairfield, Iowa, United States | |
| 14 | 93.88 miles (151.09 km) WNW | Denison Municipal Airport (DNS) | Denison, Iowa, United States | |
| 15 | 95.89 miles (154.31 km) NE | Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO) | Waterloo, Iowa, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,788.59 miles (17,362.52 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,765.59 miles (17,325.49 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,745.72 miles (17,293.52 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,741.55 miles (17,286.81 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,702.16 miles (17,223.42 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,688.11 miles (17,200.80 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,679.91 miles (17,187.60 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,678.27 miles (17,184.97 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,663.64 miles (17,161.42 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,650.61 miles (17,140.45 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,620.66 miles (17,092.25 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,595.70 miles (17,052.09 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,572.70 miles (17,015.07 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,567.93 miles (17,007.39 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,547.73 miles (16,974.88 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 108.15 miles (174.04 km) NE | Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) | Bulawayo, Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | 177.23 miles (285.23 km) N | Hwange National Park Airport (HWN) | Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe | |
| 3 | 195.21 miles (314.16 km) NE | Gweru-Thornhill Air Base (GWE) | Gweru, Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | 224.67 miles (361.56 km) SE | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 5 | 231.79 miles (373.02 km) ENE | Masvingo Airport (MVZ) | Masvingo, Zimbabwe | |
| 6 | 236.92 miles (381.28 km) NNW | Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) | Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | |
| 7 | 254.47 miles (409.52 km) NNW | Livingstone Airport (LVI) | Livingstone, Zambia | |
| 8 | 254.68 miles (409.87 km) SSW | Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) | Gaborone, Botswana | |
| 9 | 264.79 miles (426.13 km) E | Buffalo Range Airport (BFO) | Chiredzi, Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | 274.11 miles (441.13 km) WNW | Maun Airport (MUB) | Maun, Botswana | |
| 11 | 274.92 miles (442.45 km) NNW | Kasane Airport (BBK) | Kasane, Botswana | |
| 12 | 289.04 miles (465.16 km) S | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) | Pilanesberg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 296.07 miles (476.48 km) SW | Jwaneng Airport (JWA) | Jwaneng, Botswana | |
| 14 | 300.56 miles (483.71 km) SSW | Lobatse Airport (LOQ) | Lobatse, Botswana | |
| 15 | 303.25 miles (488.04 km) SE | Hendrik Van Eck Airport (PHW) | Phalaborwa, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,245.59 miles (19,707.31 km) ENE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,218.36 miles (19,663.49 km) ENE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,212.63 miles (19,654.27 km) ENE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,211.04 miles (19,651.72 km) ENE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,210.32 miles (19,650.56 km) E | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,188.69 miles (19,615.75 km) ENE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,184.32 miles (19,608.72 km) E | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,169.04 miles (19,584.12 km) E | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 12,150.23 miles (19,553.84 km) E | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 12,150.10 miles (19,553.65 km) E | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 12,142.28 miles (19,541.06 km) E | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 12,089.08 miles (19,455.43 km) E | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 12,089.08 miles (19,455.43 km) E | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 12,081.19 miles (19,442.75 km) E | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 12,079.58 miles (19,440.14 km) E | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |