Nonstop flight route between Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia and Santa Maria, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Atuona Airport (AUQ), Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,316 miles (or 5,337 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 Atuona Airport and Santa Maria Public 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 Atuona Airport and Santa Maria Public 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 Atuona Airport (AUQ):

• The furthest airport from Atuona Airport (AUQ) is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), which is nearly antipodal to Atuona Airport (meaning Atuona Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport), and is located 12,377 miles (19,919 kilometers) away in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
• Atuona Airport (AUQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Atuona Airport (AUQ) is Fangatau Airport (FGU), which is located 437 miles (703 kilometers) SSW of AUQ.
• In addition to being known as "Atuona Airport", another name for AUQ is "Hiva Oa Airport".

Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):

• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SSW of SMX.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• The extended primary runway at Santa Maria is paved to 8,004 feet, giving the airport the longest civil runway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the central coast and Vandenberg AFB's runway are longer).
• Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
• The first airline to serve Santa Maria was Southwest Airways operating Douglas DC-3 prop aircraft.
• Because of Santa Maria Public Airport's relatively low elevation of 261 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria Public 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 Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,466 miles (18,453 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.