Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Doha, Qatar:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Hamad International Airport (DOH), Doha, Qatar would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,029 miles (or 6,483 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 Hamad 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 King Shaka International and Hamad International 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.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• One of the objectives of the cargo terminal is to recapture local air freight traffic from JNB.
• The largest aircraft KSIA currently has scheduled services for is the Boeing 777-300ER, with Emirates operating Dubai–Durban, despite the fact that KSIA's runway length and terminal were designed to theoretically handle regular large airliners.
• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Hamad International Airport (DOH):

• The furthest airport from Hamad International Airport (DOH) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is nearly antipodal to Hamad International Airport (meaning Hamad International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Totegegie Airport), and is located 12,001 miles (19,313 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• The airport has two parallel runways, located 2 kilometres from each other, which are designed for simultaneous take-offs and landings.
• Hamad International Airport (DOH) has 2 runways.
• Because of Hamad International Airport's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at Hamad 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 being known as "Hamad International Airport", other names for DOH include "مطار حمد الدولي" and "OTHH[1]".
• Planning took place in 2003 and construction began in 2005.
• Abdul Aziz Al Noaimi, chairman of the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority as well as a spokesperson from Qatar Airways, the operator of the airport and main customer, have indicated that the airport is named Hamad International Airport when it opens on April 30, 2014.
• The closest airport to Hamad International Airport (DOH) is Al-Udeid Air Base (IUD), which is located 21 miles (34 kilometers) WSW of DOH.