Nonstop flight route between Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DTW to TBU:
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- About this route
- DTW Airport Information
- TBU Airport Information
- Facts about DTW
- Facts about TBU
- Map of Nearest Airports to DTW
- List of Nearest Airports to DTW
- Map of Furthest Airports from DTW
- List of Furthest Airports from DTW
- Map of Nearest Airports to TBU
- List of Nearest Airports to TBU
- Map of Furthest Airports from TBU
- List of Furthest Airports from TBU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,280 miles (or 11,717 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Fuaʻamotu International 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Fuaʻamotu International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DTW / KDTW |
Airport Name: | Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport |
Location: | Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 42°12'44"N by 83°21'11"W |
Area Served: | Detroit, Michigan |
Operator/Owner: | Wayne County, Michigan |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 645 feet (197 meters) |
# of Runways: | 6 |
View all routes: | Routes from DTW |
More Information: | DTW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | TBU / NFTF |
Airport Name: | Fuaʻamotu International Airport |
Location: | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga |
GPS Coordinates: | 21°14'27"S by 175°8'57"W |
Area Served: | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga |
Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 126 feet (38 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from TBU |
More Information: | TBU Maps & Info |
Facts about Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW):
- Between 1947 and 1950, county officials expanded the small airport to become Detroit's primary airport.
- A AAA Four Star Westin hotel is directly connected to the terminal.
- On September 10, 2008, The Detroit News reported that Smith Terminal itself will not be demolished due to the airport authority offices remaining on the upper floors.
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has 6 runways.
- On January 29, 2010, the North Terminal was named winner of the "Build Michigan" award project.
- Because of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport's relatively low elevation of 645 feet, planes can take off or land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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 remaining passenger airlines at Willow Run moved to Metro Airport in 1966, and the North Terminal opened that year.
- The furthest airport from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,285 miles (18,161 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) W of DTW.
Facts about Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):
- Fuaʻamotu is a total controlled aerodrome and all traffic are guide by air traffic control.
- The furthest airport from Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR), which is nearly antipodal to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (meaning Fuaʻamotu International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport), and is located 12,322 miles (19,830 kilometers) away in Tamanrasset, Algeria.
- Until August 2006, Peau Vavaʻu used a DC-3 on their domestic routes, but this has recently been replaced with a Jetstream 41.
- Fuaʻamotu was originally built in 1942 by a civilian contractor for the US Army.
- Peau Vavaʻu operate a Convair 580 subleased from Reef Air leased from New Zealand's Air Chathams to Haʻapai and Vavaʻu, and a Twin Otter to Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu.
- There is no public bus service to the airport, but several hostels and hotels in Nukuʻalofa meet flights and taxis are available.
- The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
- Because of Fuaʻamotu International Airport's relatively low elevation of 126 feet, planes can take off or land at Fuaʻamotu 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.
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.