Nonstop flight route between Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hilton Head Airport (HHH), Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,461 miles (or 13,617 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 Hilton Head Airport and King Shaka International, 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 Hilton Head Airport and King Shaka International. 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 Hilton Head Airport (HHH):

• The closest airport to Hilton Head Airport (HHH) is Beaufort County Airport (BFT), which is located only 13 miles (22 kilometers) NNE of HHH.
• In addition to being known as "Hilton Head Airport", another name for HHH is "HXD".
• Hilton Head Airport (HHH) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Hilton Head Airport's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at Hilton Head 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.
• Hilton Head Airport covers an area of 131 acres at an elevation of 19 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Hilton Head Airport (HHH) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,516 miles (18,532 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• The cargo terminal will form one component of the Dube TradePort's TradeZone Precinct, which will additionally be home to trade and logistics warehousing as well as cargo and light industry activities that require quick access to air cargo services, and will cover an area of 36 hectares.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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 unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• On 27 January 2014 the worlds largest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380-800 of British Airways landed at KSIA becoming the first A380 to do so.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• King Shaka International Airport was first conceptualised in the 1970s, with construction beginning in 1973.