Nonstop flight route between Karluk, Alaska, United States and Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Karluk Airport (KYK), Karluk, Alaska, United States and O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,261 miles (or 16,514 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 Karluk Airport and O. R. Tambo 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 Karluk Airport and O. R. Tambo 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 Karluk Airport (KYK):

• The furthest airport from Karluk Airport (KYK) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,807 miles (17,393 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 505 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 376 enplanements in 2009, and 397 in 2010.
• The closest airport to Karluk Airport (KYK) is Larsen Bay Airport (KLN), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) E of KYK.
• Because of Karluk Airport's relatively low elevation of 137 feet, planes can take off or land at Karluk 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.
• Scheduled passenger service was subsidized by the U.S.
• Karluk Airport (KYK) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB):

• The furthest airport from O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,979 miles (19,279 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• The airport was founded in 1952 as "Jan Smuts Airport", two years after his death, near the town of Kempton Park on the East Rand.
• It was formerly officially known as Johannesburg International Airport and before that as Jan Smuts International Airport after South Africa's internationally renowned statesman by that name.
• The closest airport to O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Rand Airport (QRA), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) SW of JNB.
• O. R. Tambo International Airport handled 18,794,897 passengers last year.
• O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "O. R. Tambo International Airport", another name for JNB is "Johannesburg International Airport".
• Because of O. R. Tambo International Airport's high elevation of 5,558 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at JNB. Combined with a high temperature, this could make JNB a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• During busy periods, outbound flights use the western runway for take-off, while inbound flights use the eastern runway for landing.
• Critics noted the considerable expense involved in renaming the airport, and the decision to use a politician as the name would be obscure, confusing and in some instances, offensive.