Nonstop flight route between East London, South Africa and Bluefields, Nicaragua:
Departure Airport:
(33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E)
Arrival Airport:
(11°59'26"N by 83°46'27"W)
Distance from ELS to BEF:
7,912.86 miles (12,734.48 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- ELS Airport Information
- BEF Airport Information
- Facts about ELS
- Facts about BEF
- 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 BEF
- List of Nearest Airports to BEF
- Map of Furthest Airports from BEF
- List of Furthest Airports from BEF
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa and Bluefields Airport (BEF), Bluefields, Nicaragua would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,913 miles (or 12,734 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 Bluefields 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 Bluefields 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: | BEF / MNBL |
| Airport Name: | Bluefields Airport |
| Location: | Bluefields, Nicaragua |
| GPS Coordinates: | 11°59'26"N by 83°46'27"W |
| Area Served: | Bluefields |
| Operator/Owner: | EAAI |
| Airport Type: | Military/Public |
| Elevation: | 41 feet (12 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BEF |
| More Information: | BEF Maps & Info |
Facts about East London Airport (ELS):
- East London's airport is a small but bustling one that plays an important role in the growing economy of the Eastern Cape.
- Passenger flights were undertaken by two de Havilland Moth planes on Saturday afternoons and all day on Sundays, weather permitting.
- In 1965 the airport was again moved, this time to its present site, 9 km west of the city centre.
- East London Airport (ELS) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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.
- The closest airport to East London Airport (ELS) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 65 miles (105 kilometers) WSW of ELS.
Facts about Bluefields Airport (BEF):
- Because of Bluefields Airport's relatively low elevation of 41 feet, planes can take off or land at Bluefields 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.
- The furthest airport from Bluefields Airport (BEF) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Bluefields Airport (meaning Bluefields Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,394 miles (19,946 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- The closest airport to Bluefields Airport (BEF) is Corn Island International Airport (RNI), which is located 50 miles (80 kilometers) ENE of BEF.
- Bluefields Airport (BEF) currently has only 1 runway.
| 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 | 49.80 miles (80.15 km) ENE | Corn Island International Airport (RNI) | Corn Island, Nicaragua | |
| 2 | 85.54 miles (137.67 km) S | Barra del Colorado Airport (BCL) | Barra del Colorado, Costa Rica | |
| 3 | 99.81 miles (160.62 km) S | Tortuguero Airport (TTQ) | Tortuguero, Costa Rica | |
| 4 | 122.57 miles (197.26 km) S | Guápiles Airport (GPL) | Guápiles, Costa Rica | |
| 5 | 137.05 miles (220.55 km) NNW | Siuna Airport (SIU) | Siuna, Nicaragua | |
| 6 | 141.09 miles (227.06 km) SSW | Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO) | San José, Costa Rica | |
| 7 | 142.68 miles (229.61 km) S | Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) | San José, Costa Rica | |
| 8 | 143.80 miles (231.42 km) N | Puerto Cabezas Airport (PUZ) | Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua | |
| 9 | 145.17 miles (233.64 km) ENE | Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport (ADZ) | San Andres Island, Colombia | |
| 10 | 149.45 miles (240.51 km) SSE | Limón International Airport (LIO) | Puerto Limón, Costa Rica | |
| 11 | 152.98 miles (246.19 km) NNW | Bonanza Airport (BZA) | Bonanza, RAAN, Nicaragua | |
| 12 | 154.05 miles (247.92 km) SW | Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR) (LIR) | Liberia, Costa Rica | |
| 13 | 162.08 miles (260.84 km) W | Augusto César Sandino International Airport (MGA) | Managua, Nicaragua | |
| 14 | 177.33 miles (285.39 km) SSW | Tambor Airport (TMU) | Tambor, Costa Rica | |
| 15 | 177.68 miles (285.95 km) S | Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP) | Quepos, Costa Rica | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,393.72 miles (19,945.71 km) WSW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,786.65 miles (18,968.72 km) W | Christmas Island Airport (XCH) | Christmas Island, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,736.79 miles (18,888.48 km) SW | Fatmawati Soekarno Airport (BKS) | Bengkulu, Indonesia | |
| 4 | 11,713.08 miles (18,850.34 km) SSW | Rokot Airport (RKI) | Sipura, Indonesia | |
| 5 | 11,668.04 miles (18,777.84 km) SW | Radin Inten II Airport (RIA II) (TKG) | Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 11,664.47 miles (18,772.10 km) SSW | Depati Parbo Airport (KRC) | Kerinci, Indonesia | |
| 7 | 11,637.88 miles (18,729.30 km) SW | Gunung Batin Airport (AKQ) | Astraksetra, Indonesia | |
| 8 | 11,618.16 miles (18,697.57 km) WSW | Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (CGK) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 9 | 11,614.28 miles (18,691.32 km) SSW | Minangkabau International Airport (MIA) (PDG) | Ketaping, West Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 11,608.98 miles (18,682.80 km) WSW | Halim Perdanakusuma Airport (HLP) | Jakarta, Indonesia | |
| 11 | 11,587.27 miles (18,647.86 km) WSW | Husein Sastranegara International Airport (HSA) (BDO) | Bandung, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 11,581.92 miles (18,639.25 km) SW | Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II International Airport (SMB II) (PLM) | Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia | |
| 13 | 11,559.33 miles (18,602.88 km) SW | Sultan Thaha Airport (DJB) | Jambi, Indonesia | |
| 14 | 11,557.71 miles (18,600.28 km) WSW | Cibeureum Airfield (TSY) | Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia | |
| 15 | 11,523.08 miles (18,544.56 km) WSW | Penggung Airport/Chakrabhuwana Airport (CBN) | Cirebon, Java, Indonesia | |