Nonstop flight route between Hamilton, New Zealand and Pierre, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hamilton International Airport (HLZ), Hamilton, New Zealand and Pierre Regional Airport (PIR), Pierre, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,736 miles (or 12,450 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 Hamilton International Airport and Pierre Regional 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 Hamilton International Airport and Pierre Regional 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 Hamilton International Airport (HLZ):

• The airport has a single terminal building and 6 tarmac gates.
• Because of Hamilton International Airport's relatively low elevation of 172 feet, planes can take off or land at Hamilton 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.
• In August 2011, approval was received by Hamilton International Airport to extend its runway up to 3,000 metres - the same size as secondary airports in other parts of the world, such as the Gold Coast.
• The closest airport to Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) is Matamata Airport (MTA), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) ENE of HLZ.
• Ansett built an independent passenger terminal to the south of the main building, equipping it with a 'Golden Wing Club' lounge and food vending machines.
• Hugh McCarroll was the airport's chief executive from the early 2000s until retirement in February 2006.
• In 1994, the airport became a terminal for Trans Tasman air routes, with charter flights provided on Boeing 727s by Kiwi International Airlines of New Zealand which served Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
• The furthest airport from Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) is Córdoba Airport (ODB), which is nearly antipodal to Hamilton International Airport (meaning Hamilton International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Córdoba Airport), and is located 12,427 miles (20,000 kilometers) away in Córdoba, Spain.
• As the world prepared for war, it became clear that a landing strip needed to be constructed in the Hamilton area.
• The Waikato Aero Club has been based at Hamilton Airport since 1933.
• Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) has 4 runways.
• A NZ$15.3 million terminal expansion begun in 2005 featured a 60 percent increase in floorspace with improved baggage handling areas, better international and domestic check-in space, and passenger security screening.

Facts about Pierre Regional Airport (PIR):

• Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) is Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG), which is located 81 miles (130 kilometers) N of PIR.
• Pierre Regional Airport is a city owned, public airport three miles east of Pierre, in Hughes County, South Dakota.
• In addition to being known as "Pierre Regional Airport", another name for PIR is "Pierre Army Airfield".
• Pierre Regional Airport covers 1,735 acres at an elevation of 1,744 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,493 miles (16,887 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• A new terminal has been designed, and construction began in late Spring, 2011.