Nonstop flight route between Chicago, Illinois, United States and Cape Town, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(41°47'9"N by 87°45'8"W)
Arrival Airport:
(33°58'9"S by 18°35'49"E)
Distance from MDW to CPT:
8,506.79 miles (13,690.32 km)
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- About this route
- MDW Airport Information
- CPT Airport Information
- Facts about MDW
- Facts about CPT
- Map of Nearest Airports to MDW
- List of Nearest Airports to MDW
- Map of Furthest Airports from MDW
- List of Furthest Airports from MDW
- Map of Nearest Airports to CPT
- List of Nearest Airports to CPT
- Map of Furthest Airports from CPT
- List of Furthest Airports from CPT
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois, United States and Cape Town International Airport (CPT), Cape Town, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,507 miles (or 13,690 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 Chicago Midway International Airport and Cape Town 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 Chicago Midway International Airport and Cape Town International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MDW / KMDW |
| Airport Name: | Chicago Midway International Airport |
| Location: | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°47'9"N by 87°45'8"W |
| Area Served: | Chicago, Illinois, US |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Chicago |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 620 feet (189 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 5 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MDW |
| More Information: | MDW Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | CPT / FACT |
| Airport Name: | Cape Town International Airport |
| Location: | Cape Town, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°58'9"S by 18°35'49"E |
| Area Served: | Cape Town |
| Operator/Owner: | Airports Company South Africa |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 151 feet (46 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from CPT |
| More Information: | CPT Maps & Info |
Facts about Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW):
- Dominated by low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines, Midway is the Dallas-based carrier's largest focus city, as of 2013.
- Because of Chicago Midway International Airport's relatively low elevation of 620 feet, planes can take off or land at Chicago Midway 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.
- In 2002 Midway welcomed the return of international service after a 40-year absence with the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service facility in Concourse A.
- The closest airport to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) NNW of MDW.
- Originally named Chicago Air Park, Midway Airport was built on a 320-acre plot in 1923 with one cinder runway mainly for airmail flights.
- Lakeshore Express flights are currently suspended as operator Pentastar Aviation elected to cease operating the flights.
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) has 5 runways.
- Simultaneous to Midway's expansion, ATA Airlines began rapid expansion at Midway in the early 2000s, and was the airport's dominant carrier prior to 2004, using 14 of the 17 gates in Concourse A.
- The furthest airport from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,083 miles (17,836 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Chicago Midway Airport is the second-largest passenger airport in the state of Illinois after Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Facts about Cape Town International Airport (CPT):
- Arriving passengers collect luggage in the old sections of their respective terminals, before proceeding through new passageways to the new Central Terminal Building.
- The airport provides approximately 1,424 parking bays in the general parking area, and 1,748 parking bays in the multi-storey parkade located near the domestic terminal.
- Cape Town International Airport was opened in 1954, a year after Jan Smuts Airport on the Witwatersrand opened.
- The closest airport to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is George Airport (GRJ), which is located 217 miles (349 kilometers) E of CPT.
- Because of Cape Town International Airport's relatively low elevation of 151 feet, planes can take off or land at Cape Town 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.
- Cape Town International Airport handled 8,505,563 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,616 miles (18,693 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
- Cape Town International Airport (CPT) has 2 runways.
- The terminal contains 10 air bridges, evenly split between domestic and international usage.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 15.43 miles (24.84 km) NNW | Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) | Chicago, Illinois, United States |     |
| 2 | 21.09 miles (33.94 km) ESE | Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY) | Gary, Indiana (near Chicago), United States | |
| 3 | 21.61 miles (34.78 km) SW | Lewis University Airport (LOT) | Chicago / Romeoville, Illinois, United States | |
| 4 | 23.93 miles (38.51 km) NNW | Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) | Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, Illinois, United States | |
| 5 | 26.85 miles (43.21 km) WNW | DuPage Airport (DPA) | West Chicago, Illinois, United States | |
| 6 | 28.65 miles (46.11 km) SW | Joliet Regional Airport (JOT) | Joliet, Illinois, United States | |
| 7 | 37.27 miles (59.98 km) W | Chicago/Aurora Municipal Airport (AUZ) | Aurora, Illinois, United States | |
| 8 | 44.35 miles (71.37 km) N | Waukegan National Airport (UGN) | Chicago / Waukegan, Illinois, United States | |
| 9 | 44.82 miles (72.13 km) ESE | Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ) | Valparaiso, Indiana, United States | |
| 10 | 48.35 miles (77.82 km) E | Michigan City Municipal Airport (MGC) | Michigan City, Indiana, United States | |
| 11 | 49.62 miles (79.86 km) S | Greater Kankakee Airport (IKK) | Kankakee, Illinois, United States | |
| 12 | 54.57 miles (87.82 km) ESE | La Porte Municipal Airport (LPO) | La Porte, Indiana, United States | |
| 13 | 54.57 miles (87.82 km) ESE | La Porte Municipal Airport (PPO) | La Porte, Indiana, United States | |
| 14 | 56.64 miles (91.16 km) N | Kenosha Regional Airport (ENW) | Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States | |
| 15 | 65.03 miles (104.65 km) SSE | Jasper County Airport (RNZ) | Rensselaer, Indiana, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,082.52 miles (17,835.55 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,059.15 miles (17,797.94 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,042.23 miles (17,770.69 km) WSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,034.50 miles (17,758.26 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,989.79 miles (17,686.30 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,980.03 miles (17,670.60 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,976.78 miles (17,665.37 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,966.52 miles (17,648.86 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,947.40 miles (17,618.08 km) WSW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,943.03 miles (17,611.06 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,892.21 miles (17,529.27 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,860.48 miles (17,478.20 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,850.05 miles (17,461.42 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,840.63 miles (17,446.26 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,800.95 miles (17,382.40 km) SW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 216.76 miles (348.84 km) E | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 2 | 309.01 miles (497.30 km) NNW | Kleinsee Airport (KLZ) | Kleinzee, South Africa | |
| 3 | 324.14 miles (521.66 km) N | Aggeneys Airport (AGZ) | Aggeneys, South Africa | |
| 4 | 324.14 miles (521.66 km) N | Wild Coast Sun Airport (MZF) | Mzamba, South Africa | |
| 5 | 392.20 miles (631.19 km) NNW | Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) | Alexander Bay, South Africa | |
| 6 | 401.75 miles (646.55 km) E | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 7 | 410.22 miles (660.19 km) N | Karasburg Airport (KAS) | Karasburg, Namibia | |
| 8 | 415.63 miles (668.89 km) NNE | Upington Airport (UTN) | Upington, South Africa | |
| 9 | 476.49 miles (766.83 km) E | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 10 | 509.47 miles (819.90 km) NE | Kimberley Airport (KIM) | Kimberley, South Africa | |
| 11 | 514.16 miles (827.46 km) N | Keetmanshoop Airport (KMP) | Keetmanshoop, Namibia | |
| 12 | 532.99 miles (857.76 km) NNE | Johan Pienaar Airport (KMH) | Kuruman, South Africa | |
| 13 | 535.17 miles (861.26 km) E | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 14 | 541.34 miles (871.20 km) NNW | Lüderitz Airport (LUD) | Luderitz, Namibia | |
| 15 | 564.91 miles (909.13 km) NE | Bloemfontein International Airport (BFN) | Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,615.59 miles (18,693.43 km) N | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,605.52 miles (18,677.23 km) N | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,598.69 miles (18,666.23 km) N | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,595.51 miles (18,661.13 km) N | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,558.75 miles (18,601.95 km) NNW | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,550.18 miles (18,588.17 km) NNW | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,538.63 miles (18,569.58 km) NNW | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,537.32 miles (18,567.47 km) NNW | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,537.32 miles (18,567.47 km) NNW | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,514.81 miles (18,531.24 km) NNW | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,513.09 miles (18,528.48 km) NNW | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,492.88 miles (18,495.95 km) NNW | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,486.14 miles (18,485.10 km) NNW | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,484.00 miles (18,481.66 km) NNW | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,468.86 miles (18,457.29 km) NNW | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |