Nonstop flight route between East London, South Africa and Whakatane, New Zealand:
Departure Airport:
(33°2'5"S by 27°49'17"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°55'14"S by 176°54'51"E)
Distance from ELS to WHK:
7,146.87 miles (11,501.75 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- ELS Airport Information
- WHK Airport Information
- Facts about ELS
- Facts about WHK
- 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 WHK
- List of Nearest Airports to WHK
- Map of Furthest Airports from WHK
- List of Furthest Airports from WHK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between East London Airport (ELS), East London, South Africa and Whakatane Airport (WHK), Whakatane, New Zealand would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,147 miles (or 11,502 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 Whakatane 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 Whakatane 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: | WHK / NZWK |
| Airport Name: | Whakatane Airport |
| Location: | Whakatane, New Zealand |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°55'14"S by 176°54'51"E |
| Elevation: | 20 feet (6 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from WHK |
| More Information: | WHK 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.
- 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.
- Passenger flights were undertaken by two de Havilland Moth planes on Saturday afternoons and all day on Sundays, weather permitting.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Whakatane Airport (WHK):
- Because of Whakatane Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Whakatane 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 closest airport to Whakatane Airport (WHK) is Rotorua International Airport (ROT), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) WSW of WHK.
- The furthest airport from Whakatane Airport (WHK) is Granada Airport (GRX), which is nearly antipodal to Whakatane Airport (meaning Whakatane Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Granada Airport), and is located 12,374 miles (19,913 kilometers) away in Granada, Spain.
- Whakatane Airport (WHK) has 2 runways.
| 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 | 35.01 miles (56.34 km) WSW | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 42.71 miles (68.73 km) WNW | Tauranga Airport (TRG) | Tauranga, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 65.35 miles (105.18 km) W | Matamata Airport (MTA) | Matamata, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 72.29 miles (116.34 km) SW | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 77.23 miles (124.28 km) SE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 86.35 miles (138.97 km) W | Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) | Hamilton, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 91.39 miles (147.07 km) NW | Thames Aerodrome (TMZ) | Thames, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 106.97 miles (172.14 km) S | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 109.74 miles (176.60 km) NW | Coromandel Aerodrome (CMV) | Coromandel, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 122.94 miles (197.85 km) WNW | Ardmore Airport (AMZ) | Ardmore, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 132.37 miles (213.03 km) WNW | Auckland Airport (AKL) | Mangere, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 140.64 miles (226.33 km) NW | Great Barrier Aerodrome (GBZ) | Great Barrier Island, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 165.95 miles (267.08 km) WSW | New Plymouth Airport (NPL) | New Plymouth, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 173.78 miles (279.67 km) SW | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 179.81 miles (289.37 km) SSW | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,373.62 miles (19,913.36 km) NE | Granada Airport (GRX) | Granada, Spain | |
| 2 | 12,356.34 miles (19,885.55 km) NE | Ciudad Real Central Airport (CQM) | Ciudad Real, Spain | |
| 3 | 12,352.67 miles (19,879.64 km) NNW | Almería Airport (LEI) | Almería, Spain | |
| 4 | 12,340.88 miles (19,860.68 km) E | Córdoba Airport (ODB) | Córdoba, Spain | |
| 5 | 12,320.87 miles (19,828.46 km) NE | Málaga Airport (AGP) | Málaga, Spain | |
| 6 | 12,312.35 miles (19,814.75 km) W | Murcia–San Javier Airport (MJV) | Murcia, Spain | |
| 7 | 12,297.11 miles (19,790.24 km) W | Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) | Alicante, Spain | |
| 8 | 12,279.09 miles (19,761.23 km) ENE | Seville Airport (SVQ) | Seville, Spain | |
| 9 | 12,262.06 miles (19,733.82 km) NE | Gibraltar International Airport (GIB) | Gibraltar | |
| 10 | 12,259.43 miles (19,729.58 km) NW | Valencia Airport (VLC) | Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain | |
| 11 | 12,258.67 miles (19,728.37 km) N | Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport[1] (MAD) | Madrid, Spain | |
| 12 | 12,257.77 miles (19,726.91 km) N | Madrid–Torrejón Airport (TOJ) | Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain | |
| 13 | 12,254.33 miles (19,721.39 km) ENE | Jerez Airport (XRY) | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | |
| 14 | 12,254.19 miles (19,721.16 km) N | Melilla Airport (MLN) | Melilla, (Spanish exclave in Morocco) | |
| 15 | 12,250.59 miles (19,715.36 km) NE | Ceuta Heliport (JCU) | Ceuta, Spain | |