Nonstop flight route between La Rioja, Argentina and Santa Maria, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ), La Rioja, Argentina and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,651 miles (or 9,095 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 Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid 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 Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ):

• In 1969, a new runway was paved.
• Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport is the main airport in La Rioja Province, Argentina serving the city of La Rioja.
• The closest airport to Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) is Coronel Felipe Varela International Airport (CTC), which is located 83 miles (134 kilometers) NE of IRJ.
• In addition to being known as "Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport", another name for IRJ is "Aeropuerto de La Rioja - Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid".
• Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• It has a 940 m² passenger terminal, 85,000 m² of runways, 33,800m² of taxiways, a 1,730 m² hangar, and a parking place for 70 cars.
• The furthest airport from Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) is Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX), which is nearly antipodal to Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (meaning Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Changsha Huanghua International Airport), and is located 12,355 miles (19,883 kilometers) away in Changsha, Hunan, China.
• The airport was named after the Argentine aviation pioneer Vicente Almandos Almonacid.

Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):

• The original Allan Hancock Field was established in 1927 at another location, between Jones Street to the north, Stowell Road to the south, Bradley Road to the east and Miller Street to the west.
• 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.
• The airport was built by the United States Army during World War II, known as Santa Maria Army Air Field.
• A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
• 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.
• Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
• 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 (SMX) has 2 runways.
• 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.
• 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).
• After the war Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria acquired the land and facilities through two grants in 1948.
• 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.