Nonstop flight route between Castries, Saint Lucia and Beijing, People's Republic of China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), Castries, Saint Lucia and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Beijing, People's Republic of China would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,696 miles (or 13,994 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 George F. L. Charles Airport and Beijing Capital 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 George F. L. Charles Airport and Beijing Capital 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 George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU):

• Because of George F. L. Charles Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at George F. L. Charles 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 furthest airport from George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) is Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport (WGP), which is nearly antipodal to George F. L. Charles Airport (meaning George F. L. Charles Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Umbu Mehang Kunda Airport), and is located 12,124 miles (19,511 kilometers) away in Waingapu, Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
• George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport houses the George Charles Outstation of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority., General Aviation Services, and the Island Flyers Club.
• The closest airport to George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU) is Hewanorra International Airport (UVF), which is located 20 miles (32 kilometers) S of SLU.
• The following airlines fly passenger services to George F.

Facts about Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK):

• Construction of Terminal 3 started on 28 March 2004, and the terminal opened in two stages.
• Terminal 3 of the BCIA is currently the second largest airport passenger terminal building of the world.
• The closest airport to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is Beijing Nanyuan Airport (NAY), which is located 23 miles (37 kilometers) SSW of PEK.
• The furthest airport from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is Gobernador Edgardo Castello Airport (VDM), which is nearly antipodal to Beijing Capital International Airport (meaning Beijing Capital International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gobernador Edgardo Castello Airport), and is located 12,378 miles (19,920 kilometers) away in Viedma, Argentina.
• Beijing Capital International Airport handled 83,712,355 passengers last year.
• Because of Beijing Capital International Airport's relatively low elevation of 116 feet, planes can take off or land at Beijing Capital 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.
• Another expansion, Terminal 3 was completed in February 2008, in time for the Beijing Olympics.
• An indoor garden is constructed in the T3E waiting area, in the style of imperial gardens such as the Summer Palace.
• In addition to being known as "Beijing Capital International Airport", other names for PEK include "北京首都国际机场" and "Běijīng Shǒudū Guójì Jīchǎng".
• To accommodate the growing traffic volume, Beijing Capital added the enormous Terminal 3 in 2008 in time for the Olympic Games, the second largest airport terminal in the world after Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3, and the sixth largest building in the world by area.
• Beijing Capital International Airport is the main hub for Air China, the flag carrier of the People's Republic of China, which flies to around 120 destinations from Beijing.
• Along with X-ray scanners, additional equipment conducts checks such as for explosives.
• Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) has 3 runways.
• A third runway of BCIA opened on 29 October 2007, to relieve congestion on the other two runways.
• One of Terminal 3's highlights is the US$240 million luggage-transfer system.