Nonstop flight route between Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Chaitén, Los Lagos, Chile:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Chaitén Airfield (WCH), Chaitén, Los Lagos, Chile would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,483 miles (or 8,824 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 Chaitén 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 Chaitén 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):

• 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.
• 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 project was revived in the late 1990s when the limitations of Durban International Airport became apparent.
• 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.
• One of the objectives of the cargo terminal is to recapture local air freight traffic from JNB.
• 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 closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.

Facts about Chaitén Airfield (WCH):

• Because of Chaitén Airfield's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at Chaitén Airfield 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 Chaitén Airfield (WCH) is Mandalgovi Airport (MXW), which is nearly antipodal to Chaitén Airfield (meaning Chaitén Airfield is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mandalgovi Airport), and is located 12,235 miles (19,690 kilometers) away in Mandalgovi, Dundgovi, Mongolia.
• Chaitén Airfield (WCH) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Chaitén Airfield (WCH) is Gamboa Airport (WCA), which is located 63 miles (101 kilometers) WNW of WCH.
• In addition to being known as "Chaitén Airfield", other names for WCH include "Chaitén Airfield (Chaitén)" and "Aeródromo Chaitén".