Nonstop flight route between Columbus, Ohio, United States and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK), Columbus, Ohio, United States and King Shaka International (DUR), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,709 miles (or 14,016 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 Rickenbacker International Airport and King Shaka International, 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 Rickenbacker International Airport and King Shaka International. 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 Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK):

• The closest airport to Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) is Port Columbus International Airport (CMH), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) N of LCK.
• In December 2006 PlanetSpace entered negotiations with the Ohio government to build a spaceport at Rickenbacker.
• The furthest airport from Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,363 miles (18,287 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• During the Cold War the facility was Lockbourne Air Force Base and was assigned to the USAF Strategic Air Command.
• AirNet Express headquarters is on the airport.
• In March 2012 Direct Air suspended operations from the airport.
• Because of Rickenbacker International Airport's relatively low elevation of 744 feet, planes can take off or land at Rickenbacker 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.
• Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) has 2 runways.

Facts about King Shaka International (DUR):

• The airport forms part of the Dube Tradeport, which will additionally consist of a trade zone linked to the airport's cargo terminal, facilities to support the airport such as nearby offices and transit accommodation for tourists, an integrated agricultural export zone, and an IT platform.
• It is unclear what the fate of the existing Durban International Airport will be now that KSIA is complete.
• Despite wide expectations that the airport would be named "King Shaka International Airport", it emerged in October 2009 that the airport needed to undergo a formal naming process.
• As a result, a study into the risks of bird strikes at KSIA was commissioned, with special attention being paid to the Barn Swallows at Mount Moreland.
• Because of King Shaka International's relatively low elevation of 295 feet, planes can take off or land at King Shaka International 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 arrivals area is located on the lower floor, with a baggage reclaim hall containing 5 conveyors that can be allocated between domestic and international use.
• The furthest airport from King Shaka International (DUR) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,682 miles (18,801 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• The closest airport to King Shaka International (DUR) is Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) W of DUR.
• King Shaka International (DUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 27 January 2014 the worlds largest passenger aircraft, an Airbus A380-800 of British Airways landed at KSIA becoming the first A380 to do so.
• The final obstacle was a delay in the approval of the project's Environmental Impact Assessment by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.