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ELS to BUQ: distance & flight time
East London (Ben Schoeman Airport) → Bulawayo (Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport)
901 mi
1,450 km · 783 nm
2h 25m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading north
See live ELS→BUQ fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
901 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 25m gate to gate, flying north. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Both airports share the same local time, so schedules read exactly as flown.
The two airports
- ELS — Ben Schoeman Airport · East London, South Africa
- BUQ — Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport · Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near ELS
- BIY · Bisho Airport33 mi away
- UTW · Queenstown Airport95 mi away
- UTT · K. D. Matanzima Airport114 mi away
- JOH · Port St Johns Airport140 mi away
Near BUQ
- GWE · Thornhill Air Base90 mi away
- FRW · Francistown Airport108 mi away
- HWN · Hwange National Park Airport142 mi away
- MVZ · Masvingo International Airport146 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is ELS from BUQ?
The flight distance from East London (ELS) to Bulawayo (BUQ) is 901 miles (1,450 km, 783 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from ELS to BUQ?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 25m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from ELS to BUQ?
Nonstop service on ELS–BUQ depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 2h 25m nonstop estimate.
What is the cheapest way to fly from ELS to BUQ?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on ELS–BUQ that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some ELS to BUQ fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain ELS–BUQ tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.