Nonstop flight route between Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia:
Departure Airport:
(28°44'26"S by 32°5'30"E)
Arrival Airport:
(4°18'47"N by 118°7'18"E)
Distance from RCB to TWU:
6,121.92 miles (9,852.26 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCB Airport Information
- TWU Airport Information
- Facts about RCB
- Facts about TWU
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCB
- List of Nearest Airports to RCB
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCB
- List of Furthest Airports from RCB
- Map of Nearest Airports to TWU
- List of Nearest Airports to TWU
- Map of Furthest Airports from TWU
- List of Furthest Airports from TWU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Richards Bay Airport (RCB), Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Tawau Airport (TWU), Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,122 miles (or 9,852 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 Richards Bay Airport and Tawau 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 Richards Bay Airport and Tawau Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCB / FARB |
| Airport Name: | Richards Bay Airport |
| Location: | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°44'26"S by 32°5'30"E |
| Operator/Owner: | uMhlathuze Local Municipality |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 109 feet (33 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCB |
| More Information: | RCB Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | TWU / WBKW |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 4°18'47"N by 118°7'18"E |
| Area Served: | Tawau Division, Sabah, East Malaysia |
| Operator/Owner: | Government of Malaysia |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 57 feet (17 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TWU |
| More Information: | TWU Maps & Info |
Facts about Richards Bay Airport (RCB):
- Richards Bay Airport (RCB) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Richards Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 109 feet, planes can take off or land at Richards Bay 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 closest airport to Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hluhluwe Airport (HLW), which is located 52 miles (83 kilometers) NNE of RCB.
- The furthest airport from Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,689 miles (18,812 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
Facts about Tawau Airport (TWU):
- The furthest airport from Tawau Airport (TWU) is Coari Airport (CIZ), which is nearly antipodal to Tawau Airport (meaning Tawau Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Coari Airport), and is located 12,350 miles (19,875 kilometers) away in Coari, Amazonas, Brazil.
- Tawau Airport (TWU) currently has only 1 runway.
- Tawau airport has a 2,685 m × 47 m long fully service runway, namely runway 06/24.
- In addition to being known as "Tawau Airport", another name for TWU is "Lapangan Terbang Tawau".
- Because of Tawau Airport's relatively low elevation of 57 feet, planes can take off or land at Tawau 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 closest airport to Tawau Airport (TWU) is Nunukan Airport (NNX), which is located 34 miles (54 kilometers) WSW of TWU.
- However on 15 September 1995, a Malaysian Airlines Fokker 50 from Kota Kinabalu touched down 500 m before the end of the 2,200 m long runway.
- Tawau Airport handled 1,202,344 passengers last year.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 51.82 miles (83.40 km) NNE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa |     |
| 2 | 84.75 miles (136.40 km) SW | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 3 | 119.80 miles (192.80 km) WSW | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 4 | 142.22 miles (228.88 km) W | Ladysmith Airport (LAY) | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 160.19 miles (257.81 km) NNW | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 6 | 180.06 miles (289.77 km) SW | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 7 | 186.21 miles (299.68 km) WSW | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 197.06 miles (317.14 km) N | Maputo International Airport (MPM) | Maputo, Mozambique | |
| 9 | 221.74 miles (356.85 km) WSW | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 235.81 miles (379.50 km) WSW | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 239.78 miles (385.89 km) NNW | Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) | Nelspruit, South Africa | |
| 12 | 244.68 miles (393.77 km) W | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 254.51 miles (409.59 km) WSW | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 273.13 miles (439.56 km) N | Mala Mala Airport (AAM) | Mala Mala, South Africa | |
| 15 | 274.02 miles (441.00 km) WNW | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,688.97 miles (18,811.52 km) NE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,676.26 miles (18,791.08 km) NE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,668.75 miles (18,778.99 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,668.60 miles (18,778.74 km) NE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,667.34 miles (18,776.72 km) NE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,667.27 miles (18,776.61 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,660.70 miles (18,766.03 km) NE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,658.80 miles (18,762.97 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,649.90 miles (18,748.65 km) NE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,647.45 miles (18,744.70 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,631.35 miles (18,718.80 km) NE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,629.30 miles (18,715.50 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,627.50 miles (18,712.60 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,627.50 miles (18,712.60 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,625.76 miles (18,709.81 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 33.64 miles (54.15 km) WSW | Nunukan Airport (NNX) | Nunukan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia | |
| 2 | 34.02 miles (54.74 km) ENE | Semporna Airport (SMM) | Sabah, Malaysia | |
| 3 | 51.59 miles (83.02 km) NNE | Lahad Datu Airport (LDU) | Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia | |
| 4 | 61.79 miles (99.45 km) SSW | Bunyu Airport (BYQ) | Bunyu, Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia | |
| 5 | 78.22 miles (125.88 km) SSW | Juwata Airport (TRK) | Tarakan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia | |
| 6 | 109.86 miles (176.80 km) N | Sandakan Airport (SDK) | Sandakan, Malaysia | |
| 7 | 122.59 miles (197.28 km) ENE | Sanga-Sanga Airport (TWT) | Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines | |
| 8 | 152.76 miles (245.84 km) WNW | Lapangan Terbang Keningau Keningau Airport (KGU) | Keningau, Sabah, Malaysia | |
| 9 | 156.51 miles (251.88 km) SSW | Kalimarau Airport (BEJ) | Tanjung Redeb, Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia | |
| 10 | 165.69 miles (266.65 km) W | Long Pasia Airport (GSA) | Long Pasia, Sabah, Malaysia | |
| 11 | 170.89 miles (275.02 km) W | Juvai Semaring Airport (LBW) | Long Bawan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia | |
| 12 | 173.94 miles (279.93 km) W | Ba'kelalan Airport (BKM) | Bakalalan, Sarawak, Malaysia | |
| 13 | 175.08 miles (281.77 km) W | Long Semado Airport (LSM) | Long Semado, Sarawak, Malaysia | |
| 14 | 181.29 miles (291.75 km) NW | Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) | Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia | |
| 15 | 181.79 miles (292.56 km) W | Long Sukang Airport (LSU) | Long Sukang, Sarawak, Malaysia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,349.57 miles (19,874.66 km) E | Coari Airport (CIZ) | Coari, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 2 | 12,283.46 miles (19,768.26 km) WSW | Ponta Pelada Airport (PLL) | Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 3 | 12,283.16 miles (19,767.78 km) SW | Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes–Manaus International Airport (MAO) | Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 4 | 12,230.20 miles (19,682.56 km) ESE | Tefé Airport (TFF) | Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 5 | 12,195.60 miles (19,626.87 km) SSE | Barcelos Airport (BAZ) | Barcelos, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 6 | 12,152.07 miles (19,556.81 km) SE | Lábrea Airport (LBR) | Lábrea, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 7 | 12,142.11 miles (19,540.78 km) WSW | Maués Airport (MBZ) | Maués, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 8 | 12,102.52 miles (19,477.07 km) SSE | Porto Velho-Governador Jorge Teixeira de Oliveira International Airport (Belmonte) (PVH) | Porto Velho, Brazil | |
| 9 | 12,089.04 miles (19,455.37 km) E | Carauari Airport (CAF) | Carauari, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 10 | 12,066.75 miles (19,419.50 km) WSW | Júlio Belém Airport (PIN) | Parintins, Amazonas, Brazil | |
| 11 | 12,031.82 miles (19,363.29 km) W | Itaituba Airport (ITB) | Itaituba, Pará, Brazil | |
| 12 | 12,011.23 miles (19,330.15 km) WSW | Porto de Trombetas Airport (TMT) | Porto Trombetas, Oriximiná, Pará, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,992.40 miles (19,299.84 km) SSW | Aripuanã Airport (AIR) | Aripuanã, Mato Grosso, Brazil | |
| 14 | 11,983.73 miles (19,285.90 km) S | José Coleto Airport (JPR) | Ji-Paraná, Rondônia, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,962.13 miles (19,251.14 km) SSW | Juruena Airport (JRN) | Juruena, Mato Grosso, Brazil | |