Nonstop flight route between Douglas, Arizona, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL), Douglas, Arizona, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,531 miles (or 7,291 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 Douglas Municipal 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 Douglas Municipal 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 Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL):

• Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Douglas Municipal Airport", another name for DGL is "Douglas Army Airfield".
• The closest airport to Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Bisbee Douglas International Airport (DUG), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) NNW of DGL.
• Because of Douglas Municipal Airport's high elevation of 4,173 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DGL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DGL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The former Douglas Air Field is currently owned by Cochise County.
• The furthest airport from Douglas Municipal Airport (DGL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,522 miles (18,542 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The 1943 photo of Douglas Army Airfield looks like Bisbee-Douglas International Airport, not the current Douglas Municipal Airport.
• Records of Auxiliary Airfield #4 have been lost to time.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• On January 31, 1951, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster operated by the Portuguese Air Force crashed into the sea while approaching Lajes Field, having taken off from Lisbon, Portugal, killing all 14 on board.
• 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.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• 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.