Nonstop flight route between Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States and Kitwe, Zambia:
Departure Airport:
(42°52'50"N by 85°31'22"W)
Arrival Airport:
(12°54'1"S by 28°8'58"E)
Distance from GRR to KIW:
8,016.31 miles (12,900.96 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- GRR Airport Information
- KIW Airport Information
- Facts about GRR
- Facts about KIW
- Map of Nearest Airports to GRR
- List of Nearest Airports to GRR
- Map of Furthest Airports from GRR
- List of Furthest Airports from GRR
- Map of Nearest Airports to KIW
- List of Nearest Airports to KIW
- Map of Furthest Airports from KIW
- List of Furthest Airports from KIW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States and Southdowns Airport (KIW), Kitwe, Zambia would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,016 miles (or 12,901 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 Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Southdowns 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 Gerald R. Ford International Airport and Southdowns Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GRR / KGRR |
| Airport Name: | Gerald R. Ford International Airport |
| Location: | Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°52'50"N by 85°31'22"W |
| Area Served: | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Operator/Owner: | Kent County |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 794 feet (242 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GRR |
| More Information: | GRR Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | KIW / FLSO |
| Airport Name: | Southdowns Airport |
| Location: | Kitwe, Zambia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 12°54'1"S by 28°8'58"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 4145 feet (1,263 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from KIW |
| More Information: | KIW Maps & Info |
Facts about Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR):
- In 1959 construction began on the present airport in Cascade Township, several miles east of the original one.
- The closest airport to Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is Park Township Airport (HLM), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) W of GRR.
- The airport is the largest commercial airport in the West Michigan region and is the second largest airport in Michigan after Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
- Because of Gerald R. Ford International Airport's relatively low elevation of 794 feet, planes can take off or land at Gerald R. Ford 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.
- The first scheduled air service in the United States was between Grand Rapids and Detroit on a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids, which started July 26, 1926.
- The furthest airport from Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,165 miles (17,969 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Metro Cab and Metro Cars provides taxi and luxury sedan service and several car rental agencies operate rental counters in the airport.
- Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) has 3 runways.
- The airport is at the intersection of 44th Street and Patterson Avenue.
- Route 17, Woodland/Airport, travels between the airport and Woodland Mall seven days a week.
Facts about Southdowns Airport (KIW):
- Because of Southdowns Airport's high elevation of 4,145 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at KIW. Combined with a high temperature, this could make KIW a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- The furthest airport from Southdowns Airport (KIW) is Hilo International Airport (ITO), which is located 11,920 miles (19,184 kilometers) away in Hilo, Hawaii, United States.
- Southdowns Airport (KIW) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Southdowns Airport (KIW) is Kasompe Airport (CGJ), which is located 28 miles (46 kilometers) NW of KIW.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 32.91 miles (52.96 km) W | Park Township Airport (HLM) | Holland, Michigan, United States |     |
| 2 | 41.10 miles (66.15 km) WNW | Muskegon County Airport (MKG) | Muskegon, Michigan, United States | |
| 3 | 42.05 miles (67.67 km) SSE | W. K. Kellogg Airport (BTL) | Battle Creek, Michigan, United States | |
| 4 | 44.65 miles (71.85 km) S | Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO) | Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Michigan, United States | |
| 5 | 47.98 miles (77.22 km) E | Capital Region International Airport (LAN) | Lansing, Michigan, United States | |
| 6 | 51.99 miles (83.67 km) NE | Gratiot Community Airport (AMN) | Alma, Michigan, United States | |
| 7 | 58.16 miles (93.60 km) N | Roben-Hood Airport (WBR) | Big Rapids, Michigan, United States | |
| 8 | 64.67 miles (104.07 km) NE | Mount Pleasant Municipal Airport (MOP) | Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States | |
| 9 | 68.98 miles (111.01 km) SE | Jackson County Airport (JXN) | Jackson, Michigan, United States | |
| 10 | 69.41 miles (111.71 km) SW | Southwest Michigan Regional Airport (BEH) | Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States | |
| 11 | 70.42 miles (113.33 km) N | Nartron Field (RCT) | Reed City, Michigan, United States | |
| 12 | 80.33 miles (129.28 km) SSW | Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport (NLE) | Niles, Michigan, United States | |
| 13 | 83.92 miles (135.05 km) SSW | Elkhart Municipal Airport (EKI) | Elkhart, Indiana, United States | |
| 14 | 85.50 miles (137.60 km) ENE | MBS International Airport (MBS) | Midland/Bay City/Saginaw, Michigan, United States | |
| 15 | 86.94 miles (139.91 km) NNW | Mason County Airport (LDM) | Ludington, Michigan, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,165.30 miles (17,968.77 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,141.54 miles (17,930.52 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,129.20 miles (17,910.67 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,116.13 miles (17,889.63 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,073.67 miles (17,821.31 km) WSW | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,064.64 miles (17,806.77 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,053.03 miles (17,788.09 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,042.31 miles (17,770.83 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,035.28 miles (17,759.52 km) WSW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,008.73 miles (17,716.78 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,950.27 miles (17,622.70 km) SW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,914.20 miles (17,564.66 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,912.41 miles (17,561.78 km) SW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,900.16 miles (17,542.07 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,843.36 miles (17,450.65 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 28.45 miles (45.78 km) NW | Kasompe Airport (CGJ) | Chingola, Zambia | |
| 2 | 35.04 miles (56.40 km) ESE | Ndola Airport (NLA) | Ndola, Zambia | |
| 3 | 99.62 miles (160.33 km) NNW | Lubumbashi International Airport (FBM) | Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 4 | 130.30 miles (209.70 km) WNW | Solwezi Airport (SLI) | Solwezi, Zambia | |
| 5 | 131.28 miles (211.27 km) NNE | Mansa Airport (MNS) | Mansa, Luapula Province, Zambia | |
| 6 | 169.14 miles (272.20 km) S | Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) | Lusaka, Zambia | |
| 7 | 231.76 miles (372.98 km) NW | Kolwezi Airport (KWZ) | Kolwezi, Lualaba District, Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 8 | 254.86 miles (410.15 km) S | Kariba Airport (KAB) | Kariba, Zimbabwe | |
| 9 | 256.04 miles (412.06 km) E | Mfuwe Airport (MFU) | Mfuwe, Eastern Province, Zambia | |
| 10 | 258.56 miles (416.10 km) SW | Ngoma Airport (ZGM) | Ngoma, Zambia | |
| 11 | 259.65 miles (417.87 km) WSW | Kaoma Airport (KMZ) | Kaoma, Zambia | |
| 12 | 274.16 miles (441.21 km) NE | Kasama Airport (KAA) | Kasama, Zambia | |
| 13 | 301.87 miles (485.81 km) E | Chipata Airport (CIP) | Chipata, Zambia | |
| 14 | 342.20 miles (550.72 km) W | Zambezi Airport (BBZ) | Zambezi, Zambia | |
| 15 | 344.40 miles (554.25 km) WSW | Lukulu Airport (LXU) | Lukulu, Zambia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,920.12 miles (19,183.53 km) NNE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,893.19 miles (19,140.19 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,888.59 miles (19,132.79 km) NNE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,884.87 miles (19,126.80 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,862.93 miles (19,091.48 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,825.85 miles (19,031.82 km) NNE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,806.80 miles (19,001.16 km) NNE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,796.18 miles (18,984.07 km) NNE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,795.13 miles (18,982.37 km) NNE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,770.47 miles (18,942.69 km) NNE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,769.74 miles (18,941.51 km) NNE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,730.60 miles (18,878.52 km) NNE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,730.60 miles (18,878.52 km) NNE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,725.66 miles (18,870.57 km) NE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,716.88 miles (18,856.44 km) NNE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |