Nonstop flight route between Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(24°57'28"N by 46°41'56"E)
Arrival Airport:
(51°23'48"N by 3°20'35"W)
Distance from RUH to CWL:
3,187.25 miles (5,129.37 km)
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- About this route
- RUH Airport Information
- CWL Airport Information
- Facts about RUH
- Facts about CWL
- Map of Nearest Airports to RUH
- List of Nearest Airports to RUH
- Map of Furthest Airports from RUH
- List of Furthest Airports from RUH
- Map of Nearest Airports to CWL
- List of Nearest Airports to CWL
- Map of Furthest Airports from CWL
- List of Furthest Airports from CWL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Cardiff Airport (CWL), Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,187 miles (or 5,129 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 King Khalid International Airport and Cardiff 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 King Khalid International Airport and Cardiff Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RUH / OERK |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 24°57'28"N by 46°41'56"E |
| Area Served: | Riyadh |
| Operator/Owner: | The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2049 feet (625 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RUH |
| More Information: | RUH Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | CWL / EGFF |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°23'48"N by 3°20'35"W |
| Area Served: | Cardiff South Wales Mid Wales West Wales |
| Operator/Owner: | Welsh Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 220 feet (67 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from CWL |
| More Information: | CWL Maps & Info |
Facts about King Khalid International Airport (RUH):
- This airport was constructed to meet the increasing international and local air transport requirements for Riyadh.
- The furthest airport from King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is nearly antipodal to King Khalid International Airport (meaning King Khalid International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Totegegie Airport), and is located 12,273 miles (19,752 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
- The 1703rd ARW was composed mainly of KC-135 Stratotankers and used the north western firehouse as its headquarters of air operations.
- This facility has five separate Fire Houses, with several modern fire fighting vehicles, and trained firefighters.
- The closest airport to King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is Dawadmi Domestic Airport (DWD), which is located 166 miles (266 kilometers) WSW of RUH.
- King Khalid International Airport handled 13,919,000 passengers last year.
- In addition to being known as "King Khalid International Airport", another name for RUH is "مطار الملك خالد الدولي".
- King Khalid International Airport (RUH) has 2 runways.
- Additional passenger conveniences in the terminal complex include 80 elevators and escalators.
Facts about Cardiff Airport (CWL):
- Cardiff Airport handled 1,072,062 passengers last year.
- Cardiff Airport was owned by a private company Cardiff International Airport Limited which, in turn was wholly owned by TBI Ltd a former public company which is 90% owned by the Spanish conglomerate Abertis and 10% by Aena International - the world's largest airport operator.
- On 2 March 2009 the airport management revealed a name change for the airport along with initial development plans to improve the image of the facility.
- Because of Cardiff Airport's relatively low elevation of 220 feet, planes can take off or land at Cardiff 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.
- 1986 saw a further extension of 750 ft to the runway, costing in the region of £1 million, thus attracting more business to the airport in the form of new-generation jet aircraft.
- Passenger numbers increased from 2012 to 2013 which shows that Cardiff is making a slow recovery to try to reach passenger levels achieved over 10 years ago.
- Cardiff Airport (CWL) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Cardiff Airport (CWL) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,958 miles (19,244 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- In addition to being known as "Cardiff Airport", another name for CWL is "Maes Awyr Caerdydd".
- The closest airport to Cardiff Airport (CWL) is MoD St Athan (DGX), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) W of CWL.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 165.57 miles (266.46 km) WSW | Dawadmi Domestic Airport (DWD) | Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia |     |
| 2 | 175.75 miles (282.84 km) E | Al-Ahsa International Airport (HOF) | Hofuf, Saudi Arabia | |
| 3 | 204.53 miles (329.16 km) WNW | Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport (ELQ) | Buraidah, Saudi Arabia | |
| 4 | 219.41 miles (353.11 km) ENE | King Fahd International Airport (DMM) | Dammam, Saudi Arabia | |
| 5 | 233.33 miles (375.50 km) ENE | King Abdulaziz Air Base (DHA) | Dhahran, Saudi Arabia | |
| 6 | 236.02 miles (379.83 km) N | Qaisumah Domestic Airport (AQI) | Qaisumah, Hafar Al-Batin, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia | |
| 7 | 261.38 miles (420.64 km) ENE | Bahrain International Airport (BAH) | Al Muharraq, Bahrain | |
| 8 | 289.15 miles (465.34 km) E | Al-Udeid Air Base (IUD) | Doha, Qatar | |
| 9 | 305.29 miles (491.31 km) NNE | Kuwait International Airport (KWI) | Kuwait City, Kuwait | |
| 10 | 307.88 miles (495.48 km) E | Hamad International Airport (DOH) | Doha, Qatar | |
| 11 | 354.83 miles (571.04 km) WNW | Ha'il Regional Airport (HAS) | Ha'il, Saudi Arabia | |
| 12 | 355.12 miles (571.51 km) E | Dalma Airport (ZDY) | Dalma (island), United Arab Emirates | |
| 13 | 375.12 miles (603.70 km) NE | Bushehr Airport (BUZ) | Bushehr, Iran | |
| 14 | 385.22 miles (619.95 km) NNE | Abadan International Airport (ABD) | Abadan, Iran | |
| 15 | 390.77 miles (628.88 km) N | Basrah International AirportBasrah Airport (BSR) | Basrah, Iraq | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,273.25 miles (19,751.84 km) SE | Totegegie Airport (GMR) | Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 2 | 11,994.21 miles (19,302.76 km) SE | Tureira Airport (ZTA) | Tureia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 11,918.38 miles (19,180.73 km) SSE | Pukarua Airport (PUK) | Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,911.36 miles (19,169.43 km) SE | Nukutavake Airport (NUK) | Nukutavake, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,753.31 miles (18,915.07 km) SE | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 11,637.27 miles (18,728.33 km) SE | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,582.05 miles (18,639.46 km) SE | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 11,553.34 miles (18,593.25 km) SE | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 11,491.34 miles (18,493.47 km) ESE | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 11,428.98 miles (18,393.12 km) SE | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 11,368.99 miles (18,296.57 km) SE | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 11,344.02 miles (18,256.38 km) SE | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 11,334.36 miles (18,240.85 km) SE | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 11,324.82 miles (18,225.48 km) SE | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 11,322.27 miles (18,221.37 km) SSE | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.03 miles (6.48 km) W | MoD St Athan (DGX) | St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 26.93 miles (43.34 km) E | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 33.37 miles (53.71 km) ENE | Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 34.33 miles (55.25 km) WNW | Swansea Airport (SWS) | Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 45.86 miles (73.80 km) S | Exeter International Airport (EXT) | Exeter, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 58.61 miles (94.32 km) E | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 69.61 miles (112.02 km) ENE | RAF Fairford (FFD) | Fairford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 75.04 miles (120.77 km) SSW | Plymouth City Airport (PLH) | Plymouth, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 75.67 miles (121.78 km) WNW | Haverfordwest Aerodrome (HAW) | Haverfordwest, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 77.83 miles (125.26 km) ESE | Bournemouth Airport (BOH) | Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 79.41 miles (127.80 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 91.42 miles (147.12 km) ESE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 91.98 miles (148.02 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 97.66 miles (157.17 km) SW | Newquay Cornwall Airport (NQY) | Newquay, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 97.84 miles (157.45 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,957.99 miles (19,244.47 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,941.33 miles (19,217.67 km) SE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,925.31 miles (19,191.89 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,924.18 miles (19,190.06 km) SSE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,894.52 miles (19,142.33 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,886.11 miles (19,128.80 km) SSE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,872.11 miles (19,106.26 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,865.67 miles (19,095.90 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,863.17 miles (19,091.87 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,857.70 miles (19,083.07 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,837.23 miles (19,050.13 km) SSE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,828.86 miles (19,036.66 km) SSE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,822.85 miles (19,026.99 km) SW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,822.35 miles (19,026.18 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,807.49 miles (19,002.27 km) SSE | Fox Glacier Aerodrome (FGL) | Fox Glacier, New Zealand | |