Nonstop flight route between Stockton, California, United States and Hambantota, Sri Lanka:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK), Stockton, California, United States and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), Hambantota, Sri Lanka would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,062 miles (or 14,584 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport 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 Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK):

• In May 1944 all of the facility was consolidated into the 3033rd Army Air Forces Base Unit.
• In addition to being known as "Stockton Metropolitan Airport", other names for SCK include "(former Stockton Army Airfield)" and "(former Sharpe Army Depot)".
• In June 2006 Allegiant Air began round trips to Las Vegas on McDonnell Douglas MD80s and this service continues.
• On July 11, 1964, Stockton Municipal Airport was officially renamed the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, reflecting its changing role as a civil airport.
• Stockton Army Airfield was initially garrisoned by the 68th Air Base Group under the Air Corps Advance Flying School.
• The closest airport to Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Modesto City-County Airport (MOD), which is located 24 miles (39 kilometers) SE of SCK.
• The furthest airport from Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,311 miles (18,203 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Because of Stockton Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 33 feet, planes can take off or land at Stockton Metropolitan 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.
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) has 2 runways.
• United Airlines served Stockton from 1946 until 1980.
• Stockton Metropolitan Airport covers an area of 1,552 acres at an elevation of 33 feet above mean sea level.
• United Airlines used Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, PSA used 727s, 737s, Douglas DC-9-30s and BAe 146-200s, Hughes Airwest had Douglas DC-9s, USAir had BAe 146-200s, and Continental Airlines and Frontier used 737s.

Facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI):

• The closest airport to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) is Weerawila Airport (WRZ), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) ESE of HRI.
• Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport was declared open by the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, on 18 March 2013 and commenced operations with the landing of a SriLankan Airlines special Airbus A340 flight named 'City of Magam Ruhunupura' with the President on board.
• On October 2012, the Super King 20 Test Aircraft, which belongs to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Department and features a dual engine, landed on the new runway to test the newly constructed runway and the instrumentation.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport", another name for HRI is "මත්තල රාජපක්ෂ ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළமத்தல ராஜபக்ஷ பன்னாட்டு விமான நிலையம்".
• The second stage of the HIA project the construction will begin in 2013 and is to be completed by 2016.
• Construction of phase one began on 27 November 2009 at Mattala.
• 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.