Nonstop flight route between Havana, Cuba and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between José Martí International Airport (HAV), Havana, Cuba and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,128 miles (or 16,300 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 José Martí International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 José Martí International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 José Martí International Airport (HAV):

• In 2007 three young recruits who deserted from the Cuban army tried to hijack a commercial passenger aircraft aiming to defect to the United States.
• In 1988 Terminal 2 was constructed in anticipation of future charter flights to the United States.
• The airport is operated by Empresa Cubana de Aeropuertos y Servicios Aeronáuticos.
• In addition to being known as "José Martí International Airport", another name for HAV is "Aeropuerto José Martí".
• José Martí International Airport (HAV) currently has only 1 runway.
• Aerocaribbean Terminal 5 is mainly used by Aerocaribbean, but Aerotaxi, which is a Cuban based charter airline, is also present.
• To give a progressive environment to the airport the old ranch homes were transformed into a small town/village that would serve as an industrial, livestock, agriculture and commercial centre, rising comfortable homes, an industrial technical school, a paint factory and other facilities.
• Because of José Martí International Airport's relatively low elevation of 210 feet, planes can take off or land at José Martí 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 furthest airport from José Martí International Airport (HAV) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,689 miles (18,811 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to José Martí International Airport (HAV) is Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport (VRA), which is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) E of HAV.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 16 October 2012, a Hawker Beechcraft B200 King Air registered AP-CAB, belonging to the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan landed on runway 23 at 12.38 PM local time becoming the first aircraft to land at the new airport as requested by the Rajapaksa regime.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa 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 furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Hambantota in southeast Sri Lanka.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.