Nonstop flight route between El Paso, Texas, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,357 miles (or 7,011 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 El Paso 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 El Paso 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 El Paso International Airport (ELP):

• At the end of the war the airfield was deemed excess by the military and returned to the local government for civil use.
• The passenger concourses were built in 1971 as part of an expansion that tripled the size of the airport.
• The furthest airport from El Paso International Airport (ELP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,389 miles (18,329 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• El Paso was the last stop of the first hijacking of a jetliner, a Boeing 707 owned by Continental Airlines.
• El Paso International Airport handled 3,065,393 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to El Paso International Airport (ELP) is Biggs Army Airfield (BIF), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) N of ELP.
• The El Paso Municipal Airport construction was inspired by a visit from Charles Lindbergh.
• El Paso International Airport (ELP) has 3 runways.
• In 1934, Varney Speed Lines operated at the old El Paso Municipal Airport.

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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.
• On 14 December 2012 it was announced that personnel at Lajes Field will be reduced in 2014 with a reduction of 400 military personnel and 500 family members.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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".
• 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 base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• 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.
• 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.