Nonstop flight route between Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Memorial Field Airport (HOT), Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,595 miles (or 15,441 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 Memorial Field 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 Memorial Field 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 Memorial Field Airport (HOT):

• Memorial Field Airport (HOT) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Memorial Field Airport (HOT) is Petit Jean Park Airport (MPJ), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) NNE of HOT.
• Because of Memorial Field Airport's relatively low elevation of 540 feet, planes can take off or land at Memorial Field 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 Memorial Field Airport (HOT) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,830 miles (17,430 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Delta Air Lines also served the airport during the 1960s with Convair 440 prop airliners.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• 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 expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• It handled nearly 6000 passengers in the first two months after opening.
• On 24 January 2013, Sri Lanka Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne said in parliament that the airport would be declared open on 18 March 2013.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• 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.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March 2013.