Nonstop flight route between East London, South Africa and San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina:
Departure Airport:
(33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E)
Arrival Airport:
(34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W)
Distance from ELS to AFA:
5,280.81 miles (8,498.63 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- ELS Airport Information
- AFA Airport Information
- Facts about ELS
- Facts about AFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to ELS
- List of Nearest Airports to ELS
- Map of Furthest Airports from ELS
- List of Furthest Airports from ELS
- Map of Nearest Airports to AFA
- List of Nearest Airports to AFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from AFA
- List of Furthest Airports from AFA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa and San Rafael Airport (AFA), San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,281 miles (or 8,499 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 East London Airport and San Rafael 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 East London Airport and San Rafael Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ELS / FAEL |
| Airport Name: | East London Airport |
| Location: | East London, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E |
| Area Served: | East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 436 feet (133 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ELS |
| More Information: | ELS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | AFA / SAMR |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W |
| Area Served: | San Rafael, Mendoza Province, Argentina |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2470 feet (753 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from AFA |
| More Information: | AFA Maps & Info |
Facts about East London Airport (ELS):
- The airport was renamed in 1994.
- East London Airport is an airport serving East London, a city in the Eastern Cape province on the southeast coast of South Africa.
- The closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.
- Because of East London Airport's relatively low elevation of 436 feet, planes can take off or land at East London 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.
- Passenger flights were undertaken by two de Havilland Moth planes on Saturday afternoons and all day on Sundays, weather permitting.
- East London Airport (ELS) has 2 runways.
- The airport had an inauspicious beginning in 1927, when Lieut Colonel Alistair Miller asked the East London town council to help establish a municipal aerodrome at Woodbrook, west of the city.
- The furthest airport from East London Airport (ELS) is Kalaupapa Airport (LUP), which is located 11,569 miles (18,618 kilometers) away in Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States.
Facts about San Rafael Airport (AFA):
- In addition to being known as "San Rafael Airport", another name for AFA is "Aeropuerto San Rafael "Santiago Germano"".
- San Rafael Airport (AFA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS), which is located 91 miles (147 kilometers) SW of AFA.
- The furthest airport from San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA), which is nearly antipodal to San Rafael Airport (meaning San Rafael Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Luoyang Beijiao Airport), and is located 12,391 miles (19,941 kilometers) away in Luoyang, Henan, China.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 65.15 miles (104.85 km) WSW | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa |     |
| 2 | 114.31 miles (183.96 km) NNE | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 3 | 143.28 miles (230.59 km) WSW | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 4 | 210.82 miles (339.28 km) NE | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 221.32 miles (356.17 km) N | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 6 | 222.73 miles (358.45 km) NNE | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 7 | 226.04 miles (363.78 km) N | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 228.78 miles (368.18 km) N | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 247.37 miles (398.09 km) N | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 269.67 miles (433.99 km) NNE | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 279.14 miles (449.23 km) NNE | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 12 | 286.72 miles (461.43 km) NNW | Bloemfontein International Airport (BFN) | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | |
| 13 | 289.10 miles (465.25 km) N | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 305.60 miles (491.81 km) NE | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 15 | 320.45 miles (515.72 km) WSW | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,568.58 miles (18,617.79 km) NNE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,567.16 miles (18,615.49 km) NNE | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,563.78 miles (18,610.05 km) NNE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,562.20 miles (18,607.51 km) NNE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,561.78 miles (18,606.84 km) NNE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,558.95 miles (18,602.28 km) NNE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,558.59 miles (18,601.70 km) NNE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,558.30 miles (18,601.24 km) NNE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,556.31 miles (18,598.04 km) NNE | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,554.09 miles (18,594.46 km) NNE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,554.09 miles (18,594.46 km) NNE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,549.72 miles (18,587.42 km) NNE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,545.26 miles (18,580.25 km) NNE | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,543.40 miles (18,577.26 km) NNE | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,541.15 miles (18,573.63 km) NNE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 91.09 miles (146.59 km) SW | Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS) | Malargüe, Mendoza, Argentina | |
| 2 | 123.40 miles (198.59 km) N | Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ) | Mendoza, Mendoza Province, Argentina | |
| 3 | 148.57 miles (239.10 km) NE | Brigadier Mayor Cesar Raúl Ojeda Airport (LUQ) | San Luis, Argentina | |
| 4 | 159.49 miles (256.68 km) WNW | Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) | Santiago, Chile | |
| 5 | 186.41 miles (300.00 km) W | La Unión Airport (LUI) | La Unión, Honduras[disambiguation needed] | |
| 6 | 204.94 miles (329.82 km) N | Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport (UAQ) | San Juan Province, Argentina | |
| 7 | 209.76 miles (337.58 km) WNW | Viña del Mar Airport (KNA) | Viña del Mar, Chile | |
| 8 | 221.99 miles (357.26 km) SSW | Chos Malal Airport (HOS) | Chos Malal, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 9 | 231.70 miles (372.88 km) S | Colonia Catriel Airport (CCT) | Colonia Catriel, Río Negro, Argentina | |
| 10 | 246.02 miles (395.93 km) SW | General Bernardo O'Higgins Airport (YAI) | Chillán, Ñuble, Chile | |
| 11 | 262.17 miles (421.92 km) NE | Villa Dolores Airport (VDR) | Villa Dolores, Córdoba, Argentina | |
| 12 | 268.18 miles (431.59 km) SSW | Caviahue Airport (CVH) | Caviahue, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 13 | 269.90 miles (434.36 km) ESE | Santa Rosa Airport (RSA) | Santa Rosa, Argentina | |
| 14 | 273.38 miles (439.96 km) ESE | General Pico Airport (GPO) | General Pico, La Pampa, Argentina | |
| 15 | 301.62 miles (485.40 km) S | Presidente Perón Internacional Airport (NQN) | Neuquen, Argentina | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,390.57 miles (19,940.64 km) WNW | Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA) | Luoyang, Henan, China | |
| 2 | 12,388.53 miles (19,937.35 km) NE | Yuncheng Guangong Airport (YCU) | Yuncheng, China | |
| 3 | 12,311.28 miles (19,813.04 km) NNW | Nanyang Jiangying Airport (NNY) | Nanyang, Henan, China | |
| 4 | 12,308.99 miles (19,809.36 km) W | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) | Zhengzhou, Henan, China | |
| 5 | 12,295.01 miles (19,786.85 km) E | Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) | Xi'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 6 | 12,293.40 miles (19,784.26 km) NW | Changzhi Wangcun Airport (CIH) | Changzhi, Shanxi, China | |
| 7 | 12,274.55 miles (19,753.92 km) E | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) | Xianyang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 8 | 12,263.65 miles (19,736.38 km) NNW | Xiangyang Liuji Airport (XFN) | Xiangfan, Hubei, China | |
| 9 | 12,254.59 miles (19,721.81 km) NE | Yan'an Airport (ENY) | Yan'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 10 | 12,235.88 miles (19,691.69 km) NE | Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) | Ankang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 11 | 12,228.83 miles (19,680.34 km) NW | Handan Airport (HDG) | Handan, Hebei, China | |
| 12 | 12,221.44 miles (19,668.46 km) N | Lüliang Airport (LLV) | Lüliang, Shanxi, China | |
| 13 | 12,220.07 miles (19,666.25 km) NNE | Shennongjia Hongping Airport (HPG) | Shennongjia, Hubei, China | |
| 14 | 12,212.37 miles (19,653.85 km) NW | Xingtai Dalian Airport (XNT) | Xingtai, Hebei, China | |
| 15 | 12,211.08 miles (19,651.78 km) NNW | Taiyuan Wuxu International Airport (TYN) | Taiyuan, Shanxi, China | |