Nonstop flight route between Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States and Christmas Island, Australia:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from ORF to XCH:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- ORF Airport Information
- XCH Airport Information
- Facts about ORF
- Facts about XCH
- Map of Nearest Airports to ORF
- List of Nearest Airports to ORF
- Map of Furthest Airports from ORF
- List of Furthest Airports from ORF
- Map of Nearest Airports to XCH
- List of Nearest Airports to XCH
- Map of Furthest Airports from XCH
- List of Furthest Airports from XCH
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Norfolk International Airport (ORF), Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States and Christmas Island Airport (XCH), Christmas Island, Australia would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,606 miles (or 17,068 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 Norfolk International Airport and Christmas Island 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 Norfolk International Airport and Christmas Island Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | ORF / KORF |
| Airport Name: | Norfolk International Airport |
| Location: | Norfolk, Virginia (near Virginia Beach and Williamsburg), United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 36°53'40"N by 76°12'3"W |
| Area Served: | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Norfolk |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 27 feet (8 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from ORF |
| More Information: | ORF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | XCH / YPXM |
| Airport Name: | Christmas Island Airport |
| Location: | Christmas Island, Australia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 10°27'2"S by 105°41'25"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Toll Remote Logistics |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 916 feet (279 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from XCH |
| More Information: | XCH Maps & Info |
Facts about Norfolk International Airport (ORF):
- Because of Norfolk International Airport's relatively low elevation of 27 feet, planes can take off or land at Norfolk 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 Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,769 miles (18,940 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- In 2013, Norfolk International Airport will recognize and celebrate its 75th anniversary of offering air travel services to passengers.
- Norfolk International Airport (ORF) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is Naval Station Norfolk (NGU), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) WNW of ORF.
- The airport's largest capital improvement project, Arrival 2002, was completed in June 2002.
- With World War II, Norfolk Municipal Airport became a vital resource to the war effort.
Facts about Christmas Island Airport (XCH):
- A brief revival of the "old days" happened in 2001 during the "Tampa" crisis when the heightened Royal Australian Air Force traffic was complemented by a large number of Department of Immigration and Citizenship and media charters.
- Christmas Island Airport (XCH) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Cibeureum Airfield (TSY), which is located 276 miles (445 kilometers) NE of XCH.
- From the late 1940s, when the island was still a British colony administered by Singapore and the Straits Settlements Administration, it was serviced occasionally by Royal Air Force Short Sunderland flying boats before the construction of the airport.
- Although located on Australian territory, the airport is classified as a Category 4 international airport for all arrivals, including those from Australia.
- The airport's location at the top of a hill, with a 2% mid-runway gradient, makes it a challenging landing for pilots.
- Christmas Island Airport handled 27,286 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Christmas Island Airport (XCH) is Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ), which is nearly antipodal to Christmas Island Airport (meaning Christmas Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport), and is located 12,393 miles (19,944 kilometers) away in Barranquilla, Colombia.
- Traffic to and from the airport varies greatly.
- Because of Christmas Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 916 feet, planes can take off or land at Christmas Island 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.
