Nonstop flight route between Hattiesburg/Laurel, Mississippi, United States and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport (PIB), Hattiesburg/Laurel, Mississippi, United States and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,753 miles (or 15,696 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 Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa 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 Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport (PIB):

• The furthest airport from Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport (PIB) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,048 miles (17,780 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The airport's IATA code refers to its former name, Pine Belt Regional Airport.
• Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport covers an area of 1,170 acres at an elevation of 298 feet above mean sea level.
• The closest airport to Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport (PIB) is Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport (HBG), which is located only 15 miles (24 kilometers) SSE of PIB.
• Because of Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 298 feet, planes can take off or land at Hattiesburg–Laurel 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.
• Hattiesburg–Laurel Regional Airport (PIB) currently has only 1 runway.
• As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 12,576 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 12,972 in 2009, and 13,766 in 2010.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The numbers given to the airport's sole runway is 05 and 23.
• On 24 January 2013, Sri Lanka Minister of Civil Aviation Piyankara Jayaratne said in parliament that the airport would be declared open on 18 March 2013.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• The furthest airport from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Seymour Airport (GPS), which is located 11,719 miles (18,860 kilometers) away in Baltra Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador.
• Because of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Mattala Rajapaksa 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 second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• It handled nearly 6000 passengers in the first two months after opening.
• The new international airport is expected to expand the local aviation industry whilst being a catalyst for the country's economic development enabling international trade, tourism, vocational training and employment.
• The airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.