Nonstop flight route between Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,520 miles (or 12,103 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 Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong International Airport (HKG):

• Hong Kong International Airport handled 59,900,000 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Hong Kong International Airport", other names for HKG include "Chek Lap Kok Airport" and "香港國際機場赤鱲角機場".
• Hong Kong International Airport was built on a large artificial island, formed by levelling Chek Lap Kok and Lam Chau islands, and reclaiming 9.38 km² of the adjacent seabed.
• In 2007, HKIA began the construction of a two-storey North Satellite Concourse which opened in December 2009.
• The furthest airport from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza International Airport (TJA), which is nearly antipodal to Hong Kong International Airport (meaning Hong Kong International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza International Airport), and is located 12,334 miles (19,850 kilometers) away in Tarija, Bolivia.
• At its opening, Terminal 1 was the largest airport passenger terminal building, with a total gross floor area of 531,000 m².
• On 31 July 2000, Todd Salimuchai, a regularised illegal immigrant in Hong Kong with no provable nationality, forced his way through a security checkpoint using a fake pistol, took a woman hostage, and boarded a Cathay Pacific aircraft.
• Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) has 2 runways.
• Because of Hong Kong International Airport's relatively low elevation of 28 feet, planes can take off or land at Hong Kong 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.
• The closest airport to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) is Shun Tak Heliport (HHP), which is located only 15 miles (25 kilometers) E of HKG.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• 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.
• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• 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".
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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 Field or Lajes Air Base, officially designated Air Base No.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• 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.
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.