Nonstop flight route between Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka and Cyril E. King Airport (STT), Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,567 miles (or 15,397 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 Cyril E. King 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 Cyril E. King 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.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• The airport is designed to facilitate for over 800 foreign passengers at peak hours and several local passengers per every 1000 km² in side the buildings.
• 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.
• As announced earlier the airport was opened for flight operations on 18 March 2013.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Facts about Cyril E. King Airport (STT):

• Cyril E. King Airport (STT) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) E of STT.
• The furthest airport from Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Cyril E. King Airport (meaning Cyril E. King Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,260 miles (19,731 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Cyril E. King Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Cyril E. King 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.