Nonstop flight route between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM), Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,600 miles (or 13,840 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 Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 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 Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 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 Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM):

• The airport is located within the Pease International Tradeport, a result of the ongoing redevelopment of the former Pease Air Force Base which was closed under Base Realignment and Closure Commission action in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
• Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) is Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM), which is located 23 miles (36 kilometers) NNE of PSM.
• Because of Portsmouth International Airport at Pease's relatively low elevation of 100 feet, planes can take off or land at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 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.
• It shares the runway with the Pease Air National Guard Base, which is actively utilized by the 157th Air Refueling Wing of the New Hampshire Air National Guard, an Air Mobility Command -gained Air National Guard unit operating the KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft.
• The furthest airport from Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,729 miles (18,875 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The airport served as a hub for Pan Am from 1998 until 2005, when all mainline Pan Am flights at the airport were suspended.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The second stage of the HIA project expansion works at the airport is to be completed by 2015.
• The AFRS will be the facilities to cater Category 10 requirements.
• 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.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• This project will have two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by the end of October 2012.
• 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.
• The airport is designed to facilitate for over 800 foreign passengers at peak hours and several local passengers per every 1000 km² in side the buildings.
• Domestic carriers Helitours and Cinnamon Air offer charter flights that connect the airport with Ratmalana Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• 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.