Nonstop flight route between Cheraw, South Carolina, United States and Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW), Cheraw, South Carolina, United States and Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,324 miles (or 11,787 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 Cheraw Municipal Airport and Fuaʻamotu 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 Cheraw Municipal Airport and Fuaʻamotu 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 Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW):

• In addition to being known as "Cheraw Municipal Airport", other names for HCW include "Lynch Bellinger Field" and "CQW".
• The closest airport to Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW) is Marlboro County Jetport (BTN), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) ESE of HCW.
• The furthest airport from Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,577 miles (18,631 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Cheraw Municipal Airport (HCW) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Cheraw Municipal Airport's relatively low elevation of 239 feet, planes can take off or land at Cheraw Municipal 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 airport covers an area of 235 acres at an elevation of 239 feet above mean sea level.

Facts about Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):

• The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
• The furthest airport from Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR), which is nearly antipodal to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (meaning Fuaʻamotu International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport), and is located 12,322 miles (19,830 kilometers) away in Tamanrasset, Algeria.
• Because of Fuaʻamotu International Airport's relatively low elevation of 126 feet, planes can take off or land at Fuaʻamotu 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.
• It is the strength of the runway rather than the length that restricts operations from Fuaʻamotu.
• Fuaʻamotu was originally built in 1942 by a civilian contractor for the US Army.
• Peau Vavaʻu operate a Convair 580 subleased from Reef Air leased from New Zealand's Air Chathams to Haʻapai and Vavaʻu, and a Twin Otter to Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu.
• Under Tongan law, Fuaʻamotu International Airport is closed on Sundays — only to be opened in distress, after the minister's approval.
• Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.