Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and New York City, New York, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York City, New York, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,824 miles (or 14,201 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 John F. Kennedy 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 John F. Kennedy 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):

• 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 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.
• 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.
• The new international airport is expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational training and employment.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 16 October 2012, a Hawker Beechcraft B200 King Air registered AP-CAB, belonging to the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan landed on runway 23 at 12.38 PM local time becoming the first aircraft to land at the new airport as requested by the Rajapaksa regime.
• This project is expected to stimulate the development and infrastructure in the area, raising living standards of the people not only in Hambantota, but in nearby Matara, Moneragala and other close districts.
• 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.

Facts about John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK):

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has 4 runways.
• Terminal 4 is able to handle the Airbus A380 and was developed by LCOR, Inc and is managed by JFK International Air Terminal LLC, a subsidiary of the Schiphol Group.
• The closest airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is Flushing Airport (closed 1984) (FLU), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) NNW of JFK.
• The furthest airport from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,764 miles (18,933 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The Port of New York Authority originally planned a single 55-gate terminal, but the major airlines did not agree with this plan, arguing that the terminal would be far too small for future traffic.
• JFK has six terminals containing 151 gates, numbered 1–8, but skipping Terminal 6 and Terminal 3.
• John F. Kennedy International Airport handled 50,423,765 passengers last year.
• Because of John F. Kennedy International Airport's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at John F. Kennedy 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.