Nonstop flight route between Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom and Salinas, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Cardiff Airport (CWL), Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom and Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS), Salinas, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,301 miles (or 8,531 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 Cardiff Airport and Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army 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 Cardiff Airport and Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army 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 Cardiff Airport (CWL):

• The airport was used by 2.1 million passengers in 2008, falling to around 1.1 million passengers in 2013, according to the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, a reduction of nearly 50% since 2008, making it the 21st busiest airport in the UK in terms of passenger numbers.
• The furthest airport from Cardiff Airport (CWL) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,958 miles (19,244 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
• Because of Cardiff Airport's relatively low elevation of 220 feet, planes can take off or land at Cardiff 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.
• In December 1995, Heli-air Wales began training Helicopter Pilots from the Airport's southside, and are widely accredited with pioneering Helicopter Training in Wales.
• Passenger numbers increased from 2012 to 2013 which shows that Cardiff is making a slow recovery to try to reach passenger levels achieved over 10 years ago.
• The history of the airport extends back to the early 1940s, when the Air Ministry requisitioned land in the rural Vale of Glamorgan to set up a wartime satellite aerodrome and training base, named RAF Rhoose, for Royal Air Force Spitfire pilots.
• Cardiff Airport (CWL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Cardiff Airport (CWL) is MoD St Athan (DGX), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) W of CWL.
• In 2007 a new airline was mooted as a new home carrier at the airport.
• Cardiff Airport handled 1,072,062 passengers last year.
• The airport was the main base for three local airlines.
• In addition to being known as "Cardiff Airport", another name for CWL is "Maes Awyr Caerdydd".

Facts about Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS):

• The airfield opened in late 1941 as Salinas Army Air Field.
• The 548th Night Fighter Squadron was formed at Salinas in April 1944.
• Until 1962 United Airlines had one Convair each way a day, but when they left no one replaced them and SNS has rarely appeared in the Airline Guide since.
• Because of Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base's relatively low elevation of 85 feet, planes can take off or land at Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army 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 closest airport to Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) is Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) WSW of SNS.
• Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,387 miles (18,326 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.