Nonstop flight route between Faro, Portugal and Santa Maria, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°0'51"N by 7°57'56"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W)
Distance from FAO to SMX:
5,846.10 miles (9,408.37 km)
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- About this route
- FAO Airport Information
- SMX Airport Information
- Facts about FAO
- Facts about SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to FAO
- List of Nearest Airports to FAO
- Map of Furthest Airports from FAO
- List of Furthest Airports from FAO
- 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 Faro International Airport (FAO), Faro, Portugal and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,846 miles (or 9,408 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 Faro International Airport and Santa Maria Public Airport, 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 Faro International Airport and Santa Maria Public Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FAO / LPFR |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Faro, Portugal |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°0'51"N by 7°57'56"W |
| Area Served: | Faro, Portugal |
| Operator/Owner: | ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, S.A. |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 23 feet (7 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FAO |
| More Information: | FAO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
|
| 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 Faro International Airport (FAO):
- Faro Airport is located 4 km to the west of Faro, Portugal.
- In addition to being known as "Faro International Airport", another name for FAO is "Aeroporto Internacional de Faro".
- Because of Faro International Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Faro 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.
- Faro Airport is capable of handling six million passengers a year.
- The closest airport to Faro International Airport (FAO) is Portimão Airport (PRM), which is located 35 miles (56 kilometers) WNW of FAO.
- Faro International Airport (FAO) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Faro International Airport (FAO) is Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR), which is nearly antipodal to Faro International Airport (meaning Faro International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Dargaville Aerodrome), and is located 12,310 miles (19,810 kilometers) away in Dargaville, New Zealand.
- Faro International Airport handled 5,672,377 passengers last year.
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- 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.
- 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 is three miles south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California.
- 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.
- Besides the current Allegiant jet service, SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express via a code sharing agreement with United Airlines flies Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops and sometimes Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jet nonstop to Los Angeles that served the airport for many years.
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
- The extended primary runway at Santa Maria is paved to 8,004 feet, giving the airport the longest civil runway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the central coast and Vandenberg AFB's runway are longer).
- A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
- After the war Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria acquired the land and facilities through two grants in 1948.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 35.07 miles (56.43 km) WNW | Portimão Airport (PRM) | Portimão, Algarve, Portugal |     |
| 2 | 73.57 miles (118.40 km) N | Beja Airport (BYJ) | Beja, Portugal | |
| 3 | 106.96 miles (172.14 km) E | Jerez Airport (XRY) | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | |
| 4 | 117.10 miles (188.45 km) ENE | Seville Airport (SVQ) | Seville, Spain | |
| 5 | 137.26 miles (220.90 km) NNW | Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| 6 | 143.89 miles (231.57 km) NNE | Badajoz Airport (BJZ) | Badajoz, Spain | |
| 7 | 144.58 miles (232.69 km) SE | Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG) | Tangier, Morocco | |
| 8 | 156.92 miles (252.53 km) ESE | Gibraltar International Airport (GIB) | Gibraltar | |
| 9 | 166.91 miles (268.62 km) ESE | Ceuta Heliport (JCU) | Ceuta, Spain | |
| 10 | 176.99 miles (284.84 km) ESE | Sania Ramel Airport (SII) | Sidi Ifni, Morocco | |
| 11 | 176.99 miles (284.84 km) ESE | Sania Ramel Airport (TTU) | Tétouan, Morocco | |
| 12 | 180.70 miles (290.81 km) ENE | Córdoba Airport (ODB) | Córdoba, Spain | |
| 13 | 193.10 miles (310.76 km) E | Málaga Airport (AGP) | Málaga, Spain | |
| 14 | 202.77 miles (326.33 km) SSE | Kenitra Air Base (NNA) | Kenitra, Morocco | |
| 15 | 215.81 miles (347.31 km) SSE | Rabat–Salé Airport (RBA) | Rabat, Morocco | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,309.58 miles (19,810.30 km) SW | Dargaville Aerodrome (DGR) | Dargaville, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 12,290.14 miles (19,779.01 km) SW | Kaikohe Aerodrome (KKO) | Kaikohe, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 12,285.36 miles (19,771.32 km) SSW | Kaitaia Airport (KAT) | Kaitaia, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 12,284.67 miles (19,770.20 km) W | Auckland Airport (AKL) | Mangere, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 12,281.18 miles (19,764.60 km) WSW | Whangarei Airport (WRE) | Whangarei, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 12,276.72 miles (19,757.42 km) SW | Kerikeri Airport (KKE) | Kerikeri, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 12,274.66 miles (19,754.11 km) W | Ardmore Airport (AMZ) | Ardmore, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 12,256.20 miles (19,724.40 km) SW | New Plymouth Airport (NPL) | New Plymouth, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 12,246.56 miles (19,708.87 km) WSW | Hamilton International Airport (HLZ) | Hamilton, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 12,244.23 miles (19,705.13 km) W | Coromandel Aerodrome (CMV) | Coromandel, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 12,242.80 miles (19,702.82 km) W | Thames Aerodrome (TMZ) | Thames, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 12,238.85 miles (19,696.47 km) WSW | Great Barrier Aerodrome (GBZ) | Great Barrier Island, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 12,227.34 miles (19,677.95 km) WSW | Matamata Airport (MTA) | Matamata, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 12,203.66 miles (19,639.83 km) WSW | Tauranga Airport (TRG) | Tauranga, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 12,190.35 miles (19,618.42 km) WSW | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.10 miles (21.08 km) SSW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 2 | 16.13 miles (25.95 km) S | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 3 | 25.58 miles (41.17 km) NNW | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.61 miles (47.66 km) SE | Santa Ynez Airport (SQA) | Santa Ynez, California, United States | |
| 5 | 33.64 miles (54.14 km) NNW | O'Sullivan Army Heliport (CSL) | Camp San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 6 | 47.93 miles (77.14 km) SE | Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 7 | 54.32 miles (87.42 km) N | Paso Robles Municipal AirportEstrella Army Airfield (PRB) | Paso Robles, California, United States | |
| 8 | 65.32 miles (105.13 km) NNW | Roberts Army Heliport (SYL) | Camp Roberts, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States | |
| 9 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) SSE | Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 10 | 82.86 miles (133.35 km) ENE | Shafter Airport (MIT) | Shafter, California, United States | |
| 11 | 85.96 miles (138.33 km) SE | Oxnard Airport (OXR) | Oxnard, California, United States | |
| 12 | 87.27 miles (140.45 km) ENE | Meadows Field (BFL) | Bakersfield, California, United States | |
| 13 | 87.83 miles (141.35 km) N | New Coalinga Municipal Airport (CLG) | Coalinga, California, United States | |
| 14 | 88.05 miles (141.70 km) ESE | Santa Paula Airport (SZP) | Santa Paula, California, United States | |
| 15 | 93.18 miles (149.96 km) SE | Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) | Point Mugu, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,466.02 miles (18,452.72 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 2 | 11,438.42 miles (18,408.31 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 3 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.89 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,422.70 miles (18,383.00 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,364.97 miles (18,290.10 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,305.52 miles (18,194.43 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,272.20 miles (18,140.80 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,239.97 miles (18,088.94 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,125.51 miles (17,904.74 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,119.83 miles (17,895.59 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,114.82 miles (17,887.53 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,101.77 miles (17,866.53 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,101.17 miles (17,865.56 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,071.72 miles (17,818.17 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,068.20 miles (17,812.50 km) SSE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |