Nonstop flight route between Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Houston, Texas, United States:
Departure Airport:
(24°57'28"N by 46°41'56"E)
Arrival Airport:
(29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W)
Distance from RUH to IWS:
7,904.48 miles (12,720.99 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RUH Airport Information
- IWS Airport Information
- Facts about RUH
- Facts about IWS
- 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 IWS
- List of Nearest Airports to IWS
- Map of Furthest Airports from IWS
- List of Furthest Airports from IWS
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,904 miles (or 12,721 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 West Houston 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 West Houston 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: | IWS / KIWS |
| Airport Name: | West Houston Airport |
| Location: | Houston, Texas, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 29°49'5"N by 95°40'20"W |
| Area Served: | Houston, Texas |
| Operator/Owner: | West Houston Airport Corp. |
| Airport Type: | Public use |
| Elevation: | 111 feet (34 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IWS |
| More Information: | IWS Maps & Info |
Facts about King Khalid International Airport (RUH):
- The United States Air Force effectively took over these facilities temporarily from August 1990 through May 1991 as an airbase for aerial refueling tanker operations in support of the Gulf War.
- The elevators, escalators and moving walkways all have the latest safety equipment installed.
- The new expansion plan for Riyadh's King Khaled International Airport aims at increasing its capacity from 12 million to 35 million.
- In addition to being known as "King Khalid International Airport", another name for RUH is "مطار الملك خالد الدولي".
- Passengers going from one terminal to another at King Khalid International Airport can utilize moving sidewalks for transportation.
- 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.
- This airport was constructed to meet the increasing international and local air transport requirements for Riyadh.
- 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 (RUH) has 2 runways.
- King Khalid International Airport handled 13,919,000 passengers last year.
Facts about West Houston Airport (IWS):
- West Houston Airport (IWS) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of West Houston Airport's relatively low elevation of 111 feet, planes can take off or land at West Houston 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 West Houston Airport (IWS) is Andrau Airpark (AAP), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) SE of IWS.
- The furthest airport from West Houston Airport (IWS) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,979 miles (17,668 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- West Houston Airport owned and operated by Gary Gandy covers an area of 200 acres at an elevation of 111 feet above mean sea level.
- The new sign at the entrance
| 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 | 8.83 miles (14.21 km) SE | Andrau Airpark (AAP) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 2 | 13.58 miles (21.86 km) S | Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) | Sugar Land, Texas (near Houston), United States | |
| 3 | 18.29 miles (29.44 km) NNE | David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 4 | 22.91 miles (36.88 km) ENE | George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 5 | 26.46 miles (42.59 km) ESE | William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 6 | 34.10 miles (54.88 km) ESE | Ellington Field Joint Reserve BaseEllington Air Force BaseEllington Field (EFD) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 7 | 40.00 miles (64.38 km) NNE | Lone Star Executive Airport (CXO) | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 8 | 43.21 miles (69.54 km) E | Baytown Airport (HPY) | Baytown, Texas, United States | |
| 9 | 48.56 miles (78.15 km) SW | Wharton Regional Airport (WHT) | Wharton, Texas, United States | |
| 10 | 50.64 miles (81.50 km) SSE | Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport (LJN) | Angleton / Lake Jackson, Texas, United States | |
| 11 | 59.50 miles (95.76 km) S | Bay City Municipal Airport (BBC) | Bay City, Texas, United States | |
| 12 | 61.99 miles (99.76 km) SE | Scholes International Airport at Galveston (GLS) | Galveston, Texas, United States | |
| 13 | 64.36 miles (103.58 km) N | Bruce Brothers Huntsville Regional Airport (HTV) | Huntsville, Texas, United States | |
| 14 | 67.36 miles (108.40 km) NW | Easterwood Airport (CLL) | College Station, Texas, United States | |
| 15 | 73.41 miles (118.14 km) NNW | Coulter Field (CFD) | Bryan, Texas, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,978.58 miles (17,668.27 km) SW | Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK) | Cocos Islands, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,952.82 miles (17,626.82 km) ESE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,653.72 miles (17,145.45 km) ESE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 10,634.50 miles (17,114.52 km) W | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,622.80 miles (17,095.70 km) W | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,615.95 miles (17,084.67 km) WSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,610.33 miles (17,075.63 km) W | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,609.04 miles (17,073.55 km) W | Carnarvon Airport (CVQ) | Carnarvon, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,604.64 miles (17,066.48 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,598.75 miles (17,056.99 km) WSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,586.79 miles (17,037.74 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,582.60 miles (17,030.99 km) WSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,567.23 miles (17,006.26 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,561.50 miles (16,997.04 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,558.05 miles (16,991.49 km) W | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |