Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Marietta, Georgia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Dobbins Air Reserve Base (MGE), Marietta, Georgia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,706 miles (or 14,010 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 Dobbins Air Reserve Base, 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 Dobbins Air Reserve Base. 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 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.
• On 8 December 2009, it was reported that "King Shaka International Airport" was indeed the most popular name for the new airport.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of 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.
• 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.
• The final obstacle was a delay in the approval of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• In 2013 Skytrax announced that King Shaka International Airport was the best airport in the world handling under 5 million passengers.
• The terminal does not have a public viewing deck, which has attracted public criticism.
• King Shaka International Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.
• 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.

Facts about Dobbins Air Reserve Base (MGE):

• In May, the local government issued bonds to purchase 563 acres located 3½ miles southeast of Marietta along the western side of the new four-lane superhighway, U.S.
• The closest airport to Dobbins Air Reserve Base (MGE) is Fulton County Airport (FTY), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) S of MGE.
• Also in 1948 the airfield became Marietta Air Force Base as a result of the creation of the United States Air Force.
• The furthest airport from Dobbins Air Reserve Base (MGE) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,314 miles (18,208 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Dobbins Air Reserve Base", another name for MGE is "Dobbins ARB".
• Following the war, the Bell Aircraft Plant #6 remained closed for five years.
• In September 2005, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunter aircraft flew out of Dobbins JARB after Hurricane Katrina did major damage to their normal home at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.
• By January 1945, Bell Aircraft had completed 357 B-29A's.