Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN), Alamogordo, New Mexico, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,916 miles (or 15,959 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 Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield, 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 Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield. 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):

• The terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
• 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.
• 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 Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.
• Mount Moreland, a small community located 2.6 km south of the airport, is an important roosting site for the European Barn Swallow.
• 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.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• 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.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN):

• The furthest airport from Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,323 miles (18,222 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• On 29 September 1999, two Luftwaffe Tornados crashed near Marathon Indian Basin, about 15 miles northwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico.
• With the September 1947 formation of the USAF, in late 1947 the Holloman range and the White Sands Proving Ground merged to become the New Mexico Joint Guided Missile Test Range,:248 and the renamed Holloman Air Force Base supported WSMR launch complex firing of Tiny Tim, Rascal, V-2 rocket, Ryan XQ-2 Drone, Falcon, MGM-13 Mace, MGM-1 Matador, and AGM-45 Shrike.
• In addition to being known as "Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield", another name for HMN is "Holloman AFB".
• Holloman was designated a Tactical Training Center on 1 August 1977 and on 1 October 1993, the Air Division at Eglin AFB became the Air Armament Center.
• Aircraft of the 96th Test Group carry the tail code "HT".
• The closest airport to Holloman Air Force Base Alamogordo Army Airfield (HMN) is Alamogordo–White Sands Regional Airport (ALM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) E of HMN.
• Alamogordo Army Air Field was named on 21 November as a Second Air Force installation equipped with aprons, runways, taxiways and hangars.