Nonstop flight route between Hickory, North Carolina, United States and Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(35°44'27"N by 81°23'21"W)
Arrival Airport:
(51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W)
Distance from HKY to BEX:
3,946.76 miles (6,351.69 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- HKY Airport Information
- BEX Airport Information
- Facts about HKY
- Facts about BEX
- Map of Nearest Airports to HKY
- List of Nearest Airports to HKY
- Map of Furthest Airports from HKY
- List of Furthest Airports from HKY
- Map of Nearest Airports to BEX
- List of Nearest Airports to BEX
- Map of Furthest Airports from BEX
- List of Furthest Airports from BEX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina, United States and RAF Benson (BEX), Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,947 miles (or 6,352 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 Hickory Regional Airport and RAF Benson, 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 Hickory Regional Airport and RAF Benson. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | HKY / KHKY |
| Airport Name: | Hickory Regional Airport |
| Location: | Hickory, North Carolina, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 35°44'27"N by 81°23'21"W |
| Area Served: | Hickory, North Carolina |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Hickory |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 1190 feet (363 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from HKY |
| More Information: | HKY Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | BEX / EGUB |
| Airport Name: | RAF Benson |
| Location: | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°36'59"N by 1°5'44"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from BEX |
| More Information: | BEX Maps & Info |
Facts about Hickory Regional Airport (HKY):
- The Hickory Municipal Airport was first opened to aircraft traffic on May 17, 1940.
- Local officials hope to attract future commercial airline service, despite challenges caused by the relatively close proximity of the large Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
- The closest airport to Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) is Foothills Regional Airport (MRN), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) WNW of HKY.
- Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) has 2 runways.
- While not currently served by any commercial airline, the Hickory Regional Airport has had such service for much of its history.
- The furthest airport from Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,494 miles (18,499 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about RAF Benson (BEX):
- The furthest airport from RAF Benson (BEX) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,879 miles (19,118 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- Building work for RAF Benson began in 1937.
- The closest airport to RAF Benson (BEX) is RAF High Wycombe (HYC), which is located only 13 miles (22 kilometers) ENE of BEX.
- Its Supermarine Spitfire and de Havilland Mosquito aircraft flew missions over occupied Europe, for example bringing back battle damage assessment pictures after Operation Chastise.
- The future of RAF Benson was in doubt for some time, while Project Belvedere was looking into closing at least one of Joint Helicopter Command's airfields.
- The station retained a reconnaissance role for some years after the war, with Avro Lancaster, Spitfire, Mosquito, Gloster Meteor PR.Mk 10 and English Electric Canberra PR.Mk 3 aircraft.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.59 miles (21.87 km) WNW | Foothills Regional Airport (MRN) | Morganton, North Carolina, United States |     |
| 2 | 37.05 miles (59.62 km) NNE | Wilkes County Airport (IKB) | North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, United States | |
| 3 | 44.25 miles (71.21 km) SE | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | |
| 4 | 45.36 miles (73.01 km) ESE | Concord Regional Airport (USA) | Concord, North Carolina, United States | |
| 5 | 49.21 miles (79.20 km) E | Rowan County Airport (SRW) | Salisbury, North Carolina, United States | |
| 6 | 54.46 miles (87.64 km) SE | Wilgrove Air Park (QWG) | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | |
| 7 | 65.38 miles (105.21 km) SSW | Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) | Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States | |
| 8 | 68.08 miles (109.57 km) WSW | Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) | Fletcher, North Carolina, United States | |
| 9 | 70.72 miles (113.81 km) ENE | Smith Reynolds Airport (INT) | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States | |
| 10 | 74.57 miles (120.01 km) NNW | Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) | Abingdon, Virginia, United States | |
| 11 | 74.83 miles (120.43 km) SW | Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) | Greenville / Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States | |
| 12 | 76.17 miles (122.59 km) NW | Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI) | Blountville, Tennessee (Tri-Cities area), United States | |
| 13 | 82.11 miles (132.14 km) SW | Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) | Greenville, South Carolina, United States | |
| 14 | 84.91 miles (136.65 km) ENE | Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) | Greensboro, North Carolina, United States | |
| 15 | 85.62 miles (137.78 km) WNW | Greeneville-Greene County Municipal Airport (GCY) | Greeneville, Tennessee, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,494.47 miles (18,498.51 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,473.95 miles (18,465.49 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,453.39 miles (18,432.39 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,440.81 miles (18,412.15 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,433.41 miles (18,400.24 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,416.60 miles (18,373.20 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,414.39 miles (18,369.64 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,408.27 miles (18,359.79 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,382.95 miles (18,319.04 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,364.00 miles (18,288.55 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,355.10 miles (18,274.21 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,347.84 miles (18,262.54 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,329.39 miles (18,232.84 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,327.98 miles (18,230.57 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,320.37 miles (18,218.33 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.38 miles (21.53 km) ENE | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 18.01 miles (28.98 km) NNW | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 22.84 miles (36.76 km) WNW | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 22.86 miles (36.79 km) SSE | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 27.22 miles (43.81 km) SSE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 27.27 miles (43.88 km) SSE | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 28.90 miles (46.51 km) ESE | London Heathrow Airport (LHR) | London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 29.41 miles (47.34 km) E | RAF Northolt (NHT) | Ruislip, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 29.77 miles (47.92 km) S | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 30.10 miles (48.45 km) W | RAF Fairford (FFD) | Fairford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 32.59 miles (52.45 km) NNE | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 35.88 miles (57.74 km) ENE | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 37.64 miles (60.57 km) ENE | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 39.31 miles (63.26 km) W | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 47.38 miles (76.26 km) SSW | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,879.28 miles (19,117.81 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,856.22 miles (19,080.68 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,854.23 miles (19,077.49 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,851.63 miles (19,073.31 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,838.05 miles (19,051.45 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,819.81 miles (19,022.09 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,815.78 miles (19,015.60 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,810.58 miles (19,007.24 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,802.08 miles (18,993.57 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,785.98 miles (18,967.65 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,785.41 miles (18,966.73 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,767.06 miles (18,937.19 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,759.25 miles (18,924.64 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,754.85 miles (18,917.55 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,740.74 miles (18,894.85 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |