Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and King Salmon, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and King Salmon Airport (AKN), King Salmon, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,396 miles (or 16,730 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 King Shaka International and King Salmon 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 King Shaka International and King Salmon 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 King Shaka International (DUR):

• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• In response to the study, ACSA contracted De-Tect Inc.
• One of the objectives of the cargo terminal is to recapture local air freight traffic from JNB.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• Despite wide expectations that the airport would be named "King Shaka International Airport", it emerged in October 2009 that the airport needed to undergo a formal naming process.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• Although the larger airport was built to grow the area's international services, it is also a key airport for domestic services throughout South Africa, serving the "Golden Triangle" between Cape Town International Airport, OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, and KSIA itself with 7 airlines.
• The project was then hit by a tender war between the Illembe consortium and the Indiza consortium.
• Construction of the airport commenced on 24 August 2007, immediately after the approval of the EIA.

Facts about King Salmon Airport (AKN):

• On June 30, 1985, Douglas C-47B N168Z of Northern Peninsula Fisheries was substantially damaged at King Salmon when both engines failed on approach while the aircraft was on an executive flight from Homer Airport, Alaska.
• King Salmon Airport is a state owned, public use airport located just southeast of King Salmon, in the Bristol Bay Borough of the U.S.
• King Salmon Airport (AKN) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from King Salmon Airport (AKN) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 10,732 miles (17,271 kilometers) away in George, South Africa.
• The closest airport to King Salmon Airport (AKN) is South Naknek Airport (WSN), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) W of AKN.
• In addition to being known as "King Salmon Airport", other names for AKN include "(former Naknek Air Force Base)" and "(former Naknek Army Airfield)".
• King Salmon Airport covers an area of 5,277 acres at an elevation of 73 feet above mean sea level.
• Because of King Salmon Airport's relatively low elevation of 73 feet, planes can take off or land at King Salmon 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.