Nonstop flight route between Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Port Elizabeth, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,675 miles (or 13,961 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and Port Elizabeth 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and Port Elizabeth 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT):

• The closest airport to Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Keesler Air Force Base (BIX), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) E of GPT.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport covers an area of 1,400 acres at an elevation of 28 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,123 miles (17,900 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The airport was originally constructed in 1942 by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base for Air Corps Flying Training Command.
• Gulfport Field was declared excess by the Air Force and conveyed by the War Assets Administration to the City of Gulfport in 1949 for use as a civil airport.
• Because of Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport's relatively low elevation of 28 feet, planes can take off or land at Gulfport–Biloxi 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.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) has 2 runways.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport is a joint civil-military public use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Gulfport, a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States.

Facts about Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ):

• A highlight in Port Elizabeth's history was the first flight to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town in 1917, made by Major Allister Mackintosh Miller.
• Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) has 2 runways.
• There is also a branch of the South African Air Force Museum at the airport.
• The furthest airport from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,567 miles (18,615 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
• The closest airport to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) ENE of PLZ.
• In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup runway 08/26 was going to be extended from 1,980m to 3,000m with a view to accommodating International flights, although this never happened.
• Construction of the permanent terminal buildings, runways and an air traffic control building began in 1950.
• Because of Port Elizabeth International Airport's relatively low elevation of 226 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Elizabeth 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.