Nonstop flight route between Half Moon Bay, California, United States and Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF), Half Moon Bay, California, United States and Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM), Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,805 miles (or 6,123 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 Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip and Princess Juliana International 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 Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip and Princess Juliana International Airport. 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 Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF):

• Following the end of World War II, San Mateo County acquired the airport from the Navy in 1947.
• The closest airport to Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) NE of HAF.
• Because of Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip's relatively low elevation of 66 feet, planes can take off or land at Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip 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 furthest airport from Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,375 miles (18,307 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• On 1 June 1945, the War Department issued a five year permit to the U.S.
• The airport hosts an annual benefit event in April, Pacific Coast Dream Machines, which features aircraft and automobiles.
• Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM):

• The closest airport to Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is L'Espérance Airport Grand Case Airport (CCE), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) NE of SXM.
• Because of increased passenger traffic and the expected growth of passenger traffic in the near future, Princess Juliana International Airport is being heavily modernized following a three-phased masterplan, commissioned in 1997.
• Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) currently has only 1 runway.
• Runway 10/28 was renumbered from 09/27 in late 2008.
• Because of Princess Juliana International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Princess Juliana 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.
• Phase II included the construction of a radar facility and a new air traffic control tower, the construction of a new and more modern, 27,000 square metres, terminal, capable of handling 2.5 million passengers per year, and the construction of a Runway End Safety Area of 150 metres, including a 60 metres overrun, on both ends of its runway, to comply with ICAO rules.
• The furthest airport from Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) is Karratha Airport (KTA), which is nearly antipodal to Princess Juliana International Airport (meaning Princess Juliana International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Karratha Airport), and is located 12,252 miles (19,718 kilometers) away in Karratha / Dampier, Western Australia, Australia.
• The airport was started as a military airstrip in 1942.
• Arriving aircraft approach the island on the last section of the final approach for Runway 10, following a 3° glide slope flying low over the famous Maho Beach.
• Since official opening of the new control tower, PJIA air traffic controllers have two radar systems at their disposal with ranges of 50 nautical miles and 250 nautical miles.