What are the geodetic coordinates of Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)?

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK / ICAO: ZBAA) is located at geodetic coordinates 40.0801°N, 116.5850°E in Beijing, CN. It sits at an airfield elevation of 116 ft (35 m) MSL with 3 runways (01/19 (3,800 m), 18L/36R (3,800 m)).

What direct Great Circle routes originate from PEK?

PEK connects to major global flight corridors including Los Angeles (LAX). Calculate exact spherical distances, true bearings, and window seat solar recommendations on Orb Vector.

How do Great Circle routes from PEK compare to flat map lines?

Flights departing PEK follow spherical geodesics (Great Circle arcs), which represent the shortest three-dimensional atmospheric distance over Earth's curved surface rather than constant-compass Rhumb lines. At PEK's latitude, Earth's axial rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,281 km/h.

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) 3D Flight Route Map, Direct Destinations & Geodetic Profile

AIRPORT HUB INTELLIGENCE & GEODETIC PROFILE

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Hub Guide & 3D Flight Map

Geodetic Coordinates: 40.080°N, 116.585°E • Country: CN • Standard Timezone: UTCGMT+8 (Local: 11:44) • Solar Angle: +31.4° Elev, 176° Azim (Daylight)

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) serves as a vital junction in global commercial aviation. Set on the North China Plain in Shunyi District 32 km northeast of central Beijing. Hover over or select radiating Great Circle spokes on the 3D globe to examine direct geodesic flight corridors, true departure bearings, nautical mile distances, and overflight paths radiating across the world.

ICAO / IATA & ELEVATIONZBAA / PEKElevation: 116 ft (35 m) MSL

PRIMARY RUNWAY COMPLEX3 Runways01/19 (3,800 m) · 18L/36R (3,800 m)

EARTH ROTATIONAL SPEED1,281 km/hMid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere) (1.05 Mach tangential)

HUB REACHABILITY (Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental)46 / 49 Global HubsWithin 14,815 km non-stop range

Direct Outbound Flight Corridors from PEK — Top Direct Routes

PEK → LAX43° True (NE)

Los Angeles (US)

10,037 km (6,237 mi)•10h 28m

PEK → LHR325° True (NW)

London (GB)

8,153 km (5,066 mi)•10h 16m

PEK → JFK8° True (N)

New York (US)

10,978 km (6,821 mi)•12h 16m

PEK → DXB273° True (W)

Dubai (AE)

5,845 km (3,632 mi)•8h 1m

PEK → SIN200° True (SSW)

Singapore (SG)

4,491 km (2,791 mi)•5h 40m

PEK → HND97° True (E)

Tokyo (JP)

2,092 km (1,300 mi)•2h 30m

PEK → SFO43° True (NE)

San Francisco (US)

9,494 km (5,899 mi)•9h 55m

PEK → HKG188° True (S)

Hong Kong (HK)

1,992 km (1,238 mi)•2h 44m

PEK → CDG321° True (NW)

Paris (FR)

8,189 km (5,088 mi)•10h 23m

PEK → DOH276° True (W)

Doha (QA)

6,163 km (3,830 mi)•8h 26m

Popular Route Vectors & Geodesic Azimuth Telemetry from PEK

Route Corridor	Initial Bearing	Arrival Bearing	Great Circle Distance	Rhumb Divergence	Est. Flight Time
PEK → LAXLos Angeles (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	043° TRU (NE)	141° TRU	10,037 km (5,420 NM)	+1,072 km (+10.7%)	10h 28m
PEK → LHRLondon (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	325° TRU (NW)	225° TRU	8,153 km (4,402 NM)	+966 km (+11.8%)	10h 16m
PEK → JFKNew York (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	008° TRU (N)	172° TRU	10,978 km (5,928 NM)	+3,395 km (+30.9%)	12h 16m
PEK → DXBDubai (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	273° TRU (W)	238° TRU	5,845 km (3,156 NM)	+90 km (+1.5%)	8h 1m
PEK → SINSingapore (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	200° TRU (SSW)	195° TRU	4,491 km (2,425 NM)	+1 km (+<0.1%)	5h 40m
PEK → HNDTokyo (Continental Trunk Corridor)	097° TRU (E)	111° TRU	2,092 km (1,130 NM)	+6 km (+0.3%)	2h 30m
PEK → SFOSan Francisco (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	043° TRU (NE)	139° TRU	9,494 km (5,126 NM)	+990 km (+10.4%)	9h 55m
PEK → HKGHong Kong (Continental Trunk Corridor)	188° TRU (S)	187° TRU	1,992 km (1,076 NM)	identical path	2h 44m
PEK → CDGParis (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	321° TRU (NW)	227° TRU	8,189 km (4,422 NM)	+876 km (+10.7%)	10h 23m
PEK → DOHDoha (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	276° TRU (W)	237° TRU	6,163 km (3,328 NM)	+108 km (+1.8%)	8h 26m

Geography, Airfield Operations & Notable Aviation Facts: PEK

PRIMARY HUB CARRIERSAir China · Hainan Airlines

EXACT GEODETIC ANTIPODE40.080°S, 063.415°W (South Atlantic Ocean / Southern Cone)

FURTHEST MAJOR HUBEzeiza (EZE) — 19,289 km (11,986 mi)

01Terminal 3 opened for the 2008 Olympics as one of the largest terminal buildings globally.
02Northbound PEK routes to Europe and North America fly Arctic and Siberian Great Circles.
03Opened in March 1958 as China's flagship international civil aviation gateway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) located and what are its coordinates?: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK, ICAO: ZBAA) is located in Beijing, CN at geodetic coordinates 40.080°N, 116.585°E (Latitude: 40.0801°, Longitude: 116.5850°). At this latitude (Mid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere)), Earth's rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,281 km/h.
What are the runway orientations and airfield elevation at PEK?: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) sits at an airfield elevation of 116 ft (35 m) above mean sea level and operates 3 runways, led by 01/19 (3,800 m), 18L/36R (3,800 m), 18R/36L (3,200 m).
What time zone and solar lighting conditions apply to PEK?: Beijing Capital International Airport operates on civil timezone UTCGMT+8 (approximate local clock time: 11:44). Based on real-time solar ephemeris calculations, the sun is at an altitude of +31.4°, placing the airport in daylight.
How many major outbound flight corridors radiate from PEK?: Orb Vector indexes 1 connected flight corridors and 10 popular outbound route vectors radiating from PEK. The longest featured corridor from PEK is PEK → JFK (New York), spanning 10,978 km (6,821 mi / 5,928 NM) along an initial bearing of 008° TRU (N).
What is the exact antipode and furthest global hub from PEK?: The exact geodetic antipode (diametrically opposite point on Earth) to PEK lies at 40.080°S, 063.415°W (South Atlantic Ocean / Southern Cone). Among the world's major aviation hubs, the furthest from PEK is Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) at a Great Circle distance of 19,289 km (11,986 mi).
What is a Great Circle?: A Great Circle is the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the sphere's center. It represents the largest possible circle that can be drawn on a sphere and defines the shortest path between two points on the surface.
Why do flight paths look curved on 2D maps?: Most 2D maps use the Mercator projection, which distorts size and shape as you move away from the equator. A straight line on a Mercator map (a rhumb line) is actually a longer path than the curved Great Circle route. Pilots fly the Great Circle route to save fuel and time.
How accurate are the distances?: Orb Vector calculates distances using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the Earth's curvature. While the Earth is not a perfect sphere (it's an oblate spheroid), the error margin is negligible for general flight planning and visualization purposes, typically within 0.5%.
Can I measure multi-stop routes?: Yes! You can chain multiple airports together to create a complex itinerary. The tool will calculate the distance for each leg of the journey as well as the total cumulative distance.
How is flight time estimated?: Our flight time estimator uses a standard cruising speed of 900 km/h (approx 485 knots) and adds a 30-minute buffer for takeoff and landing per leg. Crucially, it also accounts for the Jet Stream: eastbound flights are calculated as ~15% faster due to tailwinds, while westbound flights are slower due to headwinds.
What are the "Discover Routes"?: We've curated a selection of extreme and interesting aviation routes, such as the world's longest flight (Singapore to JFK) and the "Island Hopper" across the Pacific. Use the "Discover Routes" menu to instantly visualize these famous trajectories.