Nonstop flight route between Monterey, California, United States and Kandahar, Afghanistan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), Monterey, California, United States and Kabul International Airport (KDH), Kandahar, Afghanistan would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,706 miles (or 12,401 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 Monterey Regional Airport and Kabul 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 Monterey Regional Airport and Kabul 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 Monterey Regional Airport (MRY):

• The closest airport to Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) ENE of MRY.
• Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) has 2 runways.
• On August 23, 1984 at about 8:51 pm a Cessna 320C departed from Monterey under Special Visual Flight Rules with a 58-year-old pilot and four passengers.
• The furthest airport from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,400 miles (18,346 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Because of Monterey Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 257 feet, planes can take off or land at Monterey Regional 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 airport is owned by the several municipalities that make up the Monterey Peninsula Airport District.
• On June 24, 1992 a Cessna 421B, the 40-year-old pilot and two passengers took off from Monterey.
• On August 7, 1997 at about 8:00 pm a Grumman American AA-5 took off from Monterey.

Facts about Kabul International Airport (KDH):

• Major battles between the Taliban and local anti-Taliban forces had been fought at the airport just days earlier, and when coalition troops arrived there were abandoned weapons - including a BM-21 still loaded with rockets - scattered around the terminal.
• The furthest airport from Kabul International Airport (KDH) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is nearly antipodal to Kabul International Airport (meaning Kabul International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Mataveri International Airport), and is located 12,023 miles (19,349 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
• In July 2007, the post of Commander, Kandahar Airfield was created as a NATO appointment which, until recently, has been held by an officer of the Royal Air Force of OF-6 rank.
• The airport came into the public eye during the tense drama that was played out when Pakistani terrorists belonging to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, who hijacked and landed Indian Airlines Flight 814 on the airfield in December 1999, ordered the Government of India to ensure the release and safe-passage of three alleged Pakistani terrorists in return for letting the occupants of the passenger plane leave without harm.
• The closest airport to Kabul International Airport (KDH) is Tarin Kowt Airport (TII), which is located 76 miles (123 kilometers) N of KDH.
• In addition to being known as "Kabul International Airport", other names for KDH include "Kandahar International Airport (Kandahar)" and "میدان هوایی بین المللی کندهار".
• During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the airfield was used intensively by the Soviet Air Forces, both as logistical facility for flying in troops and supplies and as a base for launching airstrikes against local Mujahideen groups.
• The Royal Air Force also has a detachment of C130 K and J model Hercules transport aircraft from 24, 30, 47 and 70 Squadrons and its attached Engineering detachment from 24/30 and 47/70 Engineering Squadrons as part of No.
• Kabul International Airport (KDH) currently has only 1 runway.