Nonstop flight route between East London, South Africa and Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany:
Departure Airport:
(33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E)
Arrival Airport:
(49°56'43"N by 6°33'54"E)
Distance from ELS to BBJ:
5,879.48 miles (9,462.08 km)
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- About this route
- ELS Airport Information
- BBJ Airport Information
- Facts about ELS
- Facts about BBJ
- 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 BBJ
- List of Nearest Airports to BBJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from BBJ
- List of Furthest Airports from BBJ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa and Bitburg Airport (BBJ), Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,879 miles (or 9,462 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 Bitburg 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 Bitburg 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: | BBJ / EDRB |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Bitburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany |
| GPS Coordinates: | 49°56'43"N by 6°33'54"E |
| Area Served: | Bitburg, Germany |
| Operator/Owner: | Flugplatz Bitburg GmbH |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1223 feet (373 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BBJ |
| More Information: | BBJ Maps & Info |
Facts about East London Airport (ELS):
- In 1965 the airport was again moved, this time to its present site, 9 km west of the city centre.
- 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 closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Bitburg Airport (BBJ):
- Between June and September 1997 it was necessary to repair the Spangdahlem Air Base runway, called for a temporary location to accommodate the 52d Fighter Wing's three squadrons of F-15s and F-16s.
- Bitburg Airport (BBJ) currently has only 1 runway.
- In addition to being known as "Bitburg Airport", another name for BBJ is "Flugplatz Bitburg".
- The closest airport to Bitburg Airport (BBJ) is Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) ENE of BBJ.
- There are no scheduled services to and from Bitburg Airport.
- The furthest airport from Bitburg Airport (BBJ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,990 miles (19,295 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
| 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 | 6.24 miles (10.05 km) ENE | Spangdahlem Air Base (SPM) | Spangdahlem, Germany | |
| 2 | 27.45 miles (44.18 km) SW | Luxembourg Airport (LUX) | Luxembourg-Findel, Luxembourg | |
| 3 | 31.09 miles (50.03 km) E | Frankfurt–Hahn Airport (HHN) | Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 4 | 56.08 miles (90.25 km) SSE | Saarbrücken Airport (SCN) | Saarbrücken, Germany | |
| 5 | 57.87 miles (93.13 km) SE | Ramstein Air Base (RMS) | Ramstein, Germany | |
| 6 | 62.92 miles (101.26 km) NNW | Merzbrück Airfield (AAH) | Aachen, Germany | |
| 7 | 63.14 miles (101.61 km) SE | Zweibrücken Airport (ZQW) | Zweibrücken, Germany | |
| 8 | 64.84 miles (104.35 km) ESE | Sembach KaserneSembach Air Base (SEX) | Sembach, Germany | |
| 9 | 68.32 miles (109.95 km) SSW | Metz–Nancy–Lorraine Airport (ETZ) | Lorraine, France | |
| 10 | 68.50 miles (110.25 km) NNE | Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) | Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | |
| 11 | 68.84 miles (110.79 km) NW | Liège Airport (LGG) | Liège, Wallonia, Belgium | |
| 12 | 70.31 miles (113.16 km) E | Mainz Finthen Airport (QMZ) | Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany | |
| 13 | 73.84 miles (118.83 km) NNW | NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen E–3A Component (GKE) | Geilenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany | |
| 14 | 75.50 miles (121.50 km) NNW | Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) | Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands | |
| 15 | 78.47 miles (126.29 km) E | Lucius D. Clay KaserneWiesbaden Army AirfieldWiesbaden Air BaseAdvanced Landing Ground Y-80Fliegerhorst Wiesbaden (WIE) | Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,989.60 miles (19,295.35 km) SSE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,638.29 miles (18,729.96 km) ESE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,637.96 miles (18,729.44 km) ESE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,631.97 miles (18,719.80 km) ESE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,629.78 miles (18,716.27 km) SE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,626.55 miles (18,711.08 km) ESE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,623.16 miles (18,705.61 km) SE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,619.18 miles (18,699.22 km) ESE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,615.69 miles (18,693.59 km) SE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,598.91 miles (18,666.59 km) SE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,594.03 miles (18,658.74 km) SE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,586.00 miles (18,645.81 km) SE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,573.83 miles (18,626.22 km) ESE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,572.03 miles (18,623.33 km) SE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,566.91 miles (18,615.09 km) E | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |