Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Thessaloniki, Greece:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG), Thessaloniki, Greece would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,874 miles (or 7,844 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 Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia", 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 Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia". 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):

• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• King Shaka International Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• Construction of the airport commenced on 24 August 2007, immediately after the approval of the EIA.

Facts about Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG):

• In 1950 the already existing runway got paved with asphalt at a length of 1,800m and in 1952 it was extended to 2,000m.
• In addition to being known as "Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia"", another name for SKG is "Διεθνής Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Θεσσαλονίκης "Μακεδονία"".
• Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" handled 4,085,032 passengers last year.
• Inside the airport there is one restaurant, four coffee-bars and a tobacco store.
• Because of Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia"'s relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" 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 furthest airport from Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,419 miles (18,377 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) is Kozani National Airport (KZI), which is located 62 miles (99 kilometers) WSW of SKG.
• As part of a comprehensive masterplan released by the government in 2002, several projects have been started to improve Macedonia International Airport.
• The airport of Thessaloniki is also the home ground of Aeolus Aviation Academy, which is a privately owned FTO and Thessaloniki Aeroclub, both offering pilot training.