Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Thessaloniki, Greece:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG), Thessaloniki, Greece would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,282 miles (or 6,891 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 Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia", 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 Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia". 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• On October 2012, the Super King 20 Test Aircraft, which belongs to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Department and features a dual engine, landed on the new runway to test the newly constructed runway and the instrumentation.
• 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.
• 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.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG):

• Thessaloniki International Airport "Macedonia", formerly known as Mikra Airport and officially known as Macedonia International Airport, is located about 15 km SE of the city center of Thessaloniki, Greece at Thermi.
• In September 1965 a new terminal building opened on a new location.
• The closest airport to Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) is Kozani National Airport (KZI), which is located 62 miles (99 kilometers) WSW of SKG.
• In addition to being known as "Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia"", another name for SKG is "Διεθνής Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Θεσσαλονίκης "Μακεδονία"".
• Because of Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia"'s relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" 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.
• Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) has 2 runways.
• The airport is the second largest state owned and operated airport in the country after Heraklion airport on the isle of Crete.
• The furthest airport from Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" (SKG) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,419 miles (18,377 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" handled 4,085,032 passengers last year.
• In September 2010 it was announced that an extension of the under construction Thessaloniki Metro to the airport is under consideration.