Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Havana, Cuba:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and José Martí International Airport (HAV), Havana, Cuba would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,128 miles (or 16,300 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and José Martí 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and José Martí 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 Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• 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 air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• 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.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• 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 airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• 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.
• As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March 2013.
• The terminal building will be of area 12,000m2 with the capacity to handle 1,000,000 passengers per annum.

Facts about José Martí International Airport (HAV):

• In 2007 three young recruits who deserted from the Cuban army tried to hijack a commercial passenger aircraft aiming to defect to the United States.
• In addition to being known as "José Martí International Airport", another name for HAV is "Aeropuerto José Martí".
• There is a bus service between the terminals.
• The original name of the airport, Rancho Boyeros, meaning the " Drover Ranch", was in reference to the name of the plains/territory where the airport was being built.
• Because of Cuba's relationship with the Soviet Union, the airport during the 1970s and 1980s enjoyed the presence of many Eastern Bloc airline companies, such as Aeroflot, Czecho-Slovak Airlines, Interflug and LOT Polish Airlines.
• The furthest airport from José Martí International Airport (HAV) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,689 miles (18,811 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Because of José Martí International Airport's relatively low elevation of 210 feet, planes can take off or land at José Martí 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.
• José Martí International Airport (HAV) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1961 diplomatic relations with the United States deteriorated substantially and with the United States embargo against Cuba, airlines from the United States were not permitted to operate regular scheduled flights to the airport.
• The current Jose Marti Airport in 1930 replaced the Columbia Airfield, which was the first airport to serve Havana.
• The closest airport to José Martí International Airport (HAV) is Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport (VRA), which is located 62 miles (100 kilometers) E of HAV.