Nonstop flight route between Challis, Idaho, United States and Santa Maria, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from CHL to SMX:
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- About this route
- CHL Airport Information
- SMX Airport Information
- Facts about CHL
- Facts about SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to CHL
- List of Nearest Airports to CHL
- Map of Furthest Airports from CHL
- List of Furthest Airports from CHL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMX
- List of Nearest Airports to SMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMX
- List of Furthest Airports from SMX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Challis Airport (CHL), Challis, Idaho, United States and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 743 miles (or 1,195 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 relatively short distance between Challis Airport and Santa Maria Public Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | CHL / KLLJ |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Challis, Idaho, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 44°31'24"N by 114°13'4"W |
Operator/Owner: | City of Challis |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 5072 feet (1,546 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from CHL |
More Information: | CHL Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Santa Maria, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W |
Area Served: | Santa Maria, California |
Operator/Owner: | Santa Maria Public Airport District |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 261 feet (80 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from SMX |
More Information: | SMX Maps & Info |
Facts about Challis Airport (CHL):
- Because of Challis Airport's high elevation of 5,072 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at CHL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make CHL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- In addition to being known as "Challis Airport", another name for CHL is "LLJ".
- The closest airport to Challis Airport (CHL) is Lemhi County Airport (SMN), which is located 45 miles (72 kilometers) NNE of CHL.
- The furthest airport from Challis Airport (CHL) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 10,728 miles (17,265 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Challis Airport (CHL) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
- The original Allan Hancock Field was established in 1927 at another location, between Jones Street to the north, Stowell Road to the south, Bradley Road to the east and Miller Street to the west.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
- After the war Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria acquired the land and facilities through two grants in 1948.