Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Mzuzu, Malawi:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to ZZU:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- ZZU Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about ZZU
- 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 ZZU
- List of Nearest Airports to ZZU
- Map of Furthest Airports from ZZU
- List of Furthest Airports from ZZU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Mzuzu Airport (ZZU), Mzuzu, Malawi would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,668 miles (or 13,949 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 Mzuzu 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 Mzuzu Airport. 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: | ZZU / FWUU |
Airport Name: | Mzuzu Airport |
Location: | Mzuzu, Malawi |
GPS Coordinates: | 11°26'40"S by 34°0'42"E |
Area Served: | Mzuzu, Malawi |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 4115 feet (1,254 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from ZZU |
More Information: | ZZU Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- This airport is in in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.
- 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.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
Facts about Mzuzu Airport (ZZU):
- Mzuzu Airport (ZZU) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Mzuzu Airport's high elevation of 4,115 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at ZZU. Combined with a high temperature, this could make ZZU a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Mzuzu Airport (ZZU) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,606 miles (18,679 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Mzuzu Airport (ZZU) is Chelinda Airport (CEH), which is located 63 miles (101 kilometers) NNW of ZZU.