Nonstop flight route between Sarasota, Florida (near Bradenton), United States and Port Elizabeth, South Africa:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Sarasota, Florida (near Bradenton), United States and Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), Port Elizabeth, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,231 miles (or 13,246 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 Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport and Port Elizabeth 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 Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport and Port Elizabeth 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 Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ):

• Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) has 2 runways.
• The table lists annual enplanements from the Federal Aviation Administration's Terminal Area Forecast 2011.
• The closest airport to Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is Venice Municipal Airport (VNC), which is located 23 miles (38 kilometers) SSE of SRQ.
• In September 2005 Delta Air Lines, the carrier with the largest market share out of SRQ, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
• The furthest airport from Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,436 miles (18,404 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• In January 2012 AirTran Airways announced that it would drop SRQ on August 12, 2012 as part of its merger with Southwest.
• During the years before and after World War II, SRQ was known by its two-character designation, RS.
• Because of Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport's relatively low elevation of 30 feet, planes can take off or land at Sarasota–Bradenton 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.
• Air Force One was at the airport on September 11, 2001.

Facts about Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ):

• Because of Port Elizabeth International Airport's relatively low elevation of 226 feet, planes can take off or land at Port Elizabeth 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.
• During World War II, the airfield was extended to accommodate 42 Air School for the Royal Air Force and 6 Squadron South African Air Force on the southern and eastern sides of the field.
• The furthest airport from Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Princeville Airport (HPV), which is located 11,567 miles (18,615 kilometers) away in Hanalei, Hawaii, United States.
• Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) has 2 runways.
• In preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup runway 08/26 was going to be extended from 1,980m to 3,000m with a view to accommodating International flights, although this never happened.
• The closest airport to Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) is Port Alfred Airport (AFD), which is located 79 miles (127 kilometers) ENE of PLZ.
• 1 February 2008 - King Abdullah II of Jordan's Airbus A340-200 landed at Port Elizabeth as he makes his way down the Garden Route to Cape Town on a Harley-Davidson motorbike.
• 17 May 2004 - John Travolta landed his personal Qantas Boeing 707 at the airport directly from Mauritius as he was visiting a nearby private game reserve.
• Port Elizabeth Airport was established in 1929 in close proximity to the city.
• Construction of the permanent terminal buildings, runways and an air traffic control building began in 1950.