Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Orlando, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,415 miles (or 13,542 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 Orlando 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 Orlando 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):

• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• The terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
• Construction of the airport commenced on 24 August 2007, immediately after the approval of the EIA.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• In 2013 Skytrax announced that King Shaka International Airport was the best airport in the world handling under 5 million passengers.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• 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 Orlando International Airport (MCO):

• The closest airport to Orlando International Airport (MCO) is Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) N of MCO.
• MCO was a designated Space Shuttle emergency landing site.
• Orlando International Airport handled 34,877,899 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Orlando International Airport (MCO) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,506 miles (18,517 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• In terms of commercial airline service, the Greater Orlando area is also served by Orlando Sanford International Airport, and more indirectly by Daytona Beach International Airport, Melbourne International Airport, and Tampa International Airport.
• Orlando International Airport (MCO) has 4 runways.
• On February 22, 2005, MCO became the first airport in Florida to accept E-Pass and SunPass toll transponders as a form of payment for parking.
• Because of Orlando International Airport's relatively low elevation of 96 feet, planes can take off or land at Orlando 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 airport is a focus city for Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways.
• In 1978, construction of the current Landside Terminal and Airsides 1 and 3 began, opening in 1981.
• Airsides 1 and 3, and later Airside 4, were designed by KBJ Architects, while Airside 3 was designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock Architects, and Rhodes + Brito Architects.
• McCoy AFB was identified for closure in early 1973 as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force.