Nonstop flight route between Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fitiuta Airport (FTI), Fiti‘uta, American Samoa, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,588 miles (or 15,431 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 Fitiuta 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 Fitiuta 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 Fitiuta Airport (FTI):

• The closest airport to Fitiuta Airport (FTI) is Tau Airport (TAV), which is located only 6 miles (10 kilometers) W of FTI.
• Because of Fitiuta Airport's relatively low elevation of 110 feet, planes can take off or land at Fitiuta 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.
• Inter Island Airways is the only air carrier operating flights to Fitiuta Airport from Pago Pago International Airport.
• Fitiuta Airport (FTI) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Fitiuta Airport", another name for FTI is "FAQ".
• The furthest airport from Fitiuta Airport (FTI) is Zinder Airport (ZND), which is nearly antipodal to Fitiuta Airport (meaning Fitiuta Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zinder Airport), and is located 12,326 miles (19,836 kilometers) away in Zinder, Niger.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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 Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including the possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• 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 the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• In 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17, Grumman HU-16 Albatross, Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19.