Nonstop flight route between Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW), Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,863 miles (or 6,217 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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 Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW):

• The furthest airport from Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,944 miles (17,613 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In 2001 Continental Airlines announced plans for Continental Express flights between Meacham and Houston Intercontinental Airport but this was dropped after September 11, 2001, attacks.
• The closest airport to Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) is Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base (FWH), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) SW of FTW.
• Because of Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport's relatively low elevation of 710 feet, planes can take off or land at Fort Worth Meacham Int'l 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.
• Meacham was Fort Worth's airline airport until April 1953 when major carriers moved to Amon Carter Field.
• Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW) has 3 runways.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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.
• In 2009 Lajes provided rescue support of shipping lanes across the Atlantic, a safe haven for medical or mechanical emergency situations in aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and support for the USAF's continuing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• 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.
• 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.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.