Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Watson Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Miami Seaplane Base (MPB), Watson Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,890 miles (or 15,917 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 Miami Seaplane Base, 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 Miami Seaplane Base. 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 closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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".
• The air traffic control tower of height 41m has been constructed at the highest elevation of the aerodrome.
• The second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• It was initially planned to build an international airport serving the south of Sri Lanka at Weerawila, but the plans were scrapped due to environmental concerns.

Facts about Miami Seaplane Base (MPB):

• The furthest airport from Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,582 miles (18,640 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Miami Seaplane Base's relatively low elevation of 0 feet, planes can take off or land at Miami Seaplane Base 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 "Miami Seaplane Base", another name for MPB is "X44".
• The closest airport to Miami Seaplane Base (MPB) is Miami International Airport (MIA), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) W of MPB.