Nonstop flight route between Eldoret, Kenya and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Eldoret International Airport (EDL), Eldoret, Kenya and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,189 miles (or 5,133 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 Eldoret International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Eldoret International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Eldoret International Airport (EDL):

• Eldoret International Airport (EDL) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Eldoret International Airport's high elevation of 7,050 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at EDL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make EDL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Eldoret International Airport (EDL) is Kimwarer Airport (KRV), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) E of EDL.
• The furthest airport from Eldoret International Airport (EDL) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,679 miles (18,795 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
• The airport was established in 1995.
• Eldoret Airport, is located in the city of Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu District, Rift Valley Province, in the southwestern part of Kenya, close to the International border with Uganda.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• The Runway dimensions are 3500m * 60m with 7.5m paved shoulders either side and 260m Runway safety area on both runway ends.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 24 January 2013, Sri Lanka Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne said in parliament that the airport would be declared open on 18 March 2013.
• The airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa 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.