Nonstop flight route between Riga, Latvia and New Orleans, Louisiana, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Riga International Airport (RIX), Riga, Latvia and Lakefront Airport (NEW), New Orleans, Louisiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,310 miles (or 8,546 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 Riga International Airport and Lakefront 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 Riga International Airport and Lakefront 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 Riga International Airport (RIX):

• Riga International Airport (RIX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 2006, the new north terminal extension was opened.
• In addition to being known as "Riga International Airport", another name for RIX is "Starptautiskā lidosta “Rīga”".
• The airport was built in 1973 as an alternative to Spilve Airport, which had become outdated.
• Riga International Airport is one of three notable airports in Latvia.
• The Latvian government plans to build another terminal capable of handling 20 million passengers a year.
• The closest airport to Riga International Airport (RIX) is Šiauliai International Airport (SQQ), which is located 74 miles (120 kilometers) SSW of RIX.
• The furthest airport from Riga International Airport (RIX) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,169 miles (17,975 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Riga International Airport's relatively low elevation of 36 feet, planes can take off or land at Riga 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.
• As the Latvian government may be backing out of the state-financed plan to build the 20 million passenger capable terminal, airBaltic is now planning, by 2014, to build for its own exclusive use a second terminal which can handle 40 planes and 5000 passengers per hour, equivalent to about 7.5 million passengers per year, located next to the current terminal, while leaving the current terminal for all other airlines to use.

Facts about Lakefront Airport (NEW):

• Lakefront Airport (NEW) has 3 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Lakefront Airport", another name for NEW is "(former New Orleans Army Air Base)".
• The furthest airport from Lakefront Airport (NEW) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,127 miles (17,908 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to Lakefront Airport (NEW) is Southern Seaplane Airport (BCS), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) S of NEW.
• Because of Lakefront Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Lakefront 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.
• Originally the major commercial airport in the New Orleans area, Lakefront Airport relinquished that role in 1946 when commercial airline service began from Louis Armstrong International Airport, a significantly larger facility located in the nearby suburb of Kenner.
• At the start of the 1960s, thick concrete panels were added to the main terminal building to turn it into a Cold War era bomb shelter.