Nonstop flight route between Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa:
Departure Airport:
(21°14'27"S by 175°8'57"W)
Arrival Airport:
(28°44'26"S by 32°5'30"E)
Distance from TBU to RCB:
8,535.16 miles (13,735.97 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- TBU Airport Information
- RCB Airport Information
- Facts about TBU
- Facts about RCB
- Map of Nearest Airports to TBU
- List of Nearest Airports to TBU
- Map of Furthest Airports from TBU
- List of Furthest Airports from TBU
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCB
- List of Nearest Airports to RCB
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCB
- List of Furthest Airports from RCB
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU), Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga and Richards Bay Airport (RCB), Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,535 miles (or 13,736 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 Fuaʻamotu International Airport and Richards Bay 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 Fuaʻamotu International Airport and Richards Bay Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | TBU / NFTF |
| Airport Name: | Fuaʻamotu International Airport |
| Location: | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga |
| GPS Coordinates: | 21°14'27"S by 175°8'57"W |
| Area Served: | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 126 feet (38 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from TBU |
| More Information: | TBU Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCB / FARB |
| Airport Name: | Richards Bay Airport |
| Location: | Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°44'26"S by 32°5'30"E |
| Operator/Owner: | uMhlathuze Local Municipality |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 109 feet (33 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCB |
| More Information: | RCB Maps & Info |
Facts about Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU):
- Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) has 2 runways.
- Under Tongan law, Fuaʻamotu International Airport is closed on Sundays — only to be opened in distress, after the minister's approval.
- Because of Fuaʻamotu International Airport's relatively low elevation of 126 feet, planes can take off or land at Fuaʻamotu 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.
- The furthest airport from Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR), which is nearly antipodal to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (meaning Fuaʻamotu International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport), and is located 12,322 miles (19,830 kilometers) away in Tamanrasset, Algeria.
- It is the strength of the runway rather than the length that restricts operations from Fuaʻamotu.
- The closest airport to Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) is Lifuka Island Airport (HPA), which is located 114 miles (183 kilometers) NNE of TBU.
Facts about Richards Bay Airport (RCB):
- Because of Richards Bay Airport's relatively low elevation of 109 feet, planes can take off or land at Richards Bay 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 Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is located 11,689 miles (18,812 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- The closest airport to Richards Bay Airport (RCB) is Hluhluwe Airport (HLW), which is located 52 miles (83 kilometers) NNE of RCB.
- Richards Bay Airport (RCB) currently has only 1 runway.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 113.90 miles (183.31 km) NNE | Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga |     |
| 2 | 364.62 miles (586.80 km) NW | Cicia Airport (ICI) | Cicia, Fiji | |
| 3 | 367.99 miles (592.23 km) WNW | Moala Airport (MFJ) | Moala, Moala Islands, Fiji | |
| 4 | 370.23 miles (595.82 km) ENE | Niue International Airport (IUE) | Alofi, Niue | |
| 5 | 393.03 miles (632.51 km) N | Mata'aho Airport (NFO) | Niuafo'ou, Tonga | |
| 6 | 444.62 miles (715.54 km) NW | Koro Airport (KXF) | Koro Island, Fiji | |
| 7 | 459.57 miles (739.60 km) WNW | Vunisea Airport (KDV) | Vunisea, Kadavu Island, Fiji | |
| 8 | 465.13 miles (748.55 km) WNW | Suva International Airport (SUV) | Suva / Nausori, Viti Levu, Fiji | |
| 9 | 465.70 miles (749.47 km) WNW | Levuka Airfield (LEV) | Bureta, Ovalau Island, Fiji | |
| 10 | 488.42 miles (786.03 km) NW | Labasa Airport (LBS) | Labasa, Fiji | |
| 11 | 515.76 miles (830.04 km) NNW | Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT) | Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 12 | 539.09 miles (867.58 km) WNW | Nadi International Airport (NAN) | Nadi, Fiji | |
| 13 | 551.98 miles (888.32 km) NNE | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 14 | 552.24 miles (888.74 km) NNE | Faleolo International Airport (APW) | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa | |
| 15 | 555.29 miles (893.65 km) N | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,321.72 miles (19,829.83 km) NNW | Aguenar – Hadj Bey Akhamok Airport (TMR) | Tamanrasset, Algeria | |
| 2 | 12,306.90 miles (19,805.99 km) NNW | In Guezzam Airport (INF) | In Guezzam, Algeria | |
| 3 | 12,201.76 miles (19,636.78 km) NW | Arlit Airport (RLT) | Arlit, Niger | |
| 4 | 12,184.07 miles (19,608.31 km) E | Bordj Mokhtar Airport (BMW) | Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Algeria | |
| 5 | 12,076.93 miles (19,435.89 km) NW | Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY) | Agadez, Niger | |
| 6 | 12,075.73 miles (19,433.96 km) NW | Djanet Tiska Airport (DJG) | Djanet, Algeria | |
| 7 | 12,005.93 miles (19,321.62 km) NW | Ghat Airport (GHT) | Ghat, Libya | |
| 8 | 11,996.67 miles (19,306.72 km) N | Tahoua Airport (THZ) | Tahoua, Niger | |
| 9 | 11,996.25 miles (19,306.04 km) NNE | In Salah Airport (INZ) | In Salah, Algeria | |
| 10 | 11,968.40 miles (19,261.22 km) NE | Gao International Airport (GAQ) | Gao, Mali | |
| 11 | 11,890.59 miles (19,136.01 km) NE | Tambao Airport (TMQ) | Tambao, Burkina Faso | |
| 12 | 11,882.02 miles (19,122.21 km) NE | Touat-Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Belkebir Airport (AZR) | Adrar, Algeria | |
| 13 | 11,881.53 miles (19,121.43 km) NNW | Maradi Airport (MFQ) | Maradi, Niger | |
| 14 | 11,878.41 miles (19,116.40 km) NNW | In Amenas Airport (IAM) | In Amenas, Algeria | |
| 15 | 11,872.34 miles (19,106.64 km) NNE | Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM) | Niamey, Niger | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 51.82 miles (83.40 km) NNE | Hluhluwe Airport (HLW) | Hluhluwe, South Africa | |
| 2 | 84.75 miles (136.40 km) SW | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 3 | 119.80 miles (192.80 km) WSW | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 4 | 142.22 miles (228.88 km) W | Ladysmith Airport (LAY) | Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 5 | 160.19 miles (257.81 km) NNW | Matsapha Airport (MTS) | Manzini, Swaziland | |
| 6 | 180.06 miles (289.77 km) SW | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 7 | 186.21 miles (299.68 km) WSW | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |
| 8 | 197.06 miles (317.14 km) N | Maputo International Airport (MPM) | Maputo, Mozambique | |
| 9 | 221.74 miles (356.85 km) WSW | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 235.81 miles (379.50 km) WSW | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 239.78 miles (385.89 km) NNW | Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) | Nelspruit, South Africa | |
| 12 | 244.68 miles (393.77 km) W | Leribe Airport (LRB) | Leribe, Lesotho | |
| 13 | 254.51 miles (409.59 km) WSW | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 14 | 273.13 miles (439.56 km) N | Mala Mala Airport (AAM) | Mala Mala, South Africa | |
| 15 | 274.02 miles (441.00 km) WNW | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,688.97 miles (18,811.52 km) NE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 11,676.26 miles (18,791.08 km) NE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 11,668.75 miles (18,778.99 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 11,668.60 miles (18,778.74 km) NE | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 11,667.34 miles (18,776.72 km) NE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 11,667.27 miles (18,776.61 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 11,660.70 miles (18,766.03 km) NE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 11,658.80 miles (18,762.97 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 11,649.90 miles (18,748.65 km) NE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 11,647.45 miles (18,744.70 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 11,631.35 miles (18,718.80 km) NE | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 11,629.30 miles (18,715.50 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 11,627.50 miles (18,712.60 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 11,627.50 miles (18,712.60 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 11,625.76 miles (18,709.81 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |