Nonstop flight route between Sanford, Maine, United States and Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM), Sanford, Maine, United States and O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,866 miles (or 12,658 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport and O. R. Tambo 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport and O. R. Tambo 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM):

• The closest airport to Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) is Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM), which is located 23 miles (36 kilometers) SSW of SFM.
• Because of Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 244 feet, planes can take off or land at Sanford Seacoast Regional 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.
• Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,712 miles (18,849 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB):

• A second terminal between the two runways has also been mooted, which is proposed for completion by 2012.
• The closest airport to O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Rand Airport (QRA), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) SW of JNB.
• O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) has 2 runways.
• The airport overtook Cairo International Airport in 1996 as the busiest airport in Africa and is the third-busiest airport in the Africa–Middle East region after Dubai International Airport and Doha International Airport.
• The furthest airport from O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,979 miles (19,279 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
• In addition to being known as "O. R. Tambo International Airport", another name for JNB is "Johannesburg International Airport".
• On 10 January 2013 the airport's ICAO code was changed from FAJS to FAOR.
• The Central Terminal Building will boost capacity at the landside of the terminal in 3 levels, also allowing direct access from international and domestic terminals.
• The new International Pier development will increase international arrivals and departures capacity in a double storey structure with nine additional airside contact stands, four of which are Airbus A380 compatible.
• South African Airways is headquartered in Airways Park on the grounds of O.
• The two terminals A and B have been restructured.
• O. R. Tambo International Airport handled 18,794,897 passengers last year.
• Because of O. R. Tambo International Airport's high elevation of 5,558 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at JNB. Combined with a high temperature, this could make JNB a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.