Nonstop flight route between Willemstad, Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR), Willemstad, Curaçao, Kingdom of the Netherlands and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,150 miles (or 5,070 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport and Lajes Air Base, 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport and Lajes Air Base. 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 Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR):

• Located at the west side of Hato Airport there is a small hangar for the 2 Dash-8 patrol aircraft of the Coast Guard Netherlands Antilles & Aruba.
• The furthest airport from Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) is Adisucipto International Airport (JOG), which is nearly antipodal to Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (meaning Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Adisucipto International Airport), and is located 12,130 miles (19,521 kilometers) away in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
• The closest airport to Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) is Flamingo International Airport (BON), which is located 47 miles (75 kilometers) E of CUR.
• Because of Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport's relatively low elevation of 29 feet, planes can take off or land at Hato International Airport Curaçao 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.
• Hato International Airport Curaçao International Airport (CUR) currently has only 1 runway.
• A new terminal was officially opened in 2006 and it accommodates a maximum of 1.6 million passengers per year.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to the rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation.
• The furthest airport from Lajes Air Base (TER) is Merimbula Airport (MIM), which is nearly antipodal to Lajes Air Base (meaning Lajes Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Merimbula Airport), and is located 12,229 miles (19,680 kilometers) away in Merimbula, New South Wales, Australia.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• In addition to being known as "Lajes Air Base", other names for TER include "Base Aérea das Lajes", "Base Aérea Nº 4" and "Aeroporto das Lajes".
• Because of Lajes Air Base's relatively low elevation of 180 feet, planes can take off or land at Lajes Air Base 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 origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.