Nonstop flight route between Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and Canton Island, Kiribati:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sharjah International Airport (SHJ), Sharjah, United Arab Emirates and Canton Island Airport (CIS), Canton Island, Kiribati would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,936 miles (or 14,381 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 Sharjah International Airport and Canton Island 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 Sharjah International Airport and Canton Island 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 Sharjah International Airport (SHJ):

• Sharjah International Airport is home base of the low-cost carrier Air Arabia.
• Sharjah International Airport handled 7,516,538 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Sharjah International Airport", another name for SHJ is "مطار الشارقة الدولي".
• The closest airport to Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is Dubai International Airport (DXB), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) WSW of SHJ.
• Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport was used by the United States Air Force 926th Tactical Fighter Group during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.
• The airport is 15 km away from central Dubai.
• The furthest airport from Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,763 miles (18,931 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• Because of Sharjah International Airport's relatively low elevation of 116 feet, planes can take off or land at Sharjah 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.

Facts about Canton Island Airport (CIS):

• Because of Canton Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Canton Island 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 Canton Island Airport (CIS) is Funafuti International Airport (FUN), which is located 741 miles (1,193 kilometers) WSW of CIS.
• During World War II, Kanton Island was considered part of the British-controlled Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony.
• Kanton Island airport continued to see use during the 1950s as a trans-Pacific stopover for DC-4, DC-6B and DC-7C aircraft for Pan American, British Commonwealth Pacific, Qantas and Canadian Pacific Airlines, but with the advent of long-range jet aircraft during the 1960s, their need for the island faded, and the airfield and its associated facilities were ultimately abandoned in 1965.
• The furthest airport from Canton Island Airport (CIS) is Malabo International Airport (SSG), which is nearly antipodal to Canton Island Airport (meaning Canton Island Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Malabo International Airport), and is located 12,363 miles (19,896 kilometers) away in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
• The political status of the island was uncertain at first, with American and British settlers occupying two separate camps on the island.
• Canton Island Airport (CIS) currently has only 1 runway.