Nonstop flight route between Mexico City, Mexico and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX), Mexico City, Mexico and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,433 miles (or 7,135 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 Benito Juarez 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 Benito Juarez 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 Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX):

• The closest airport to Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) is Santa Lucía Air Force Base (NLU), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) N of MEX.
• The airport first opened as Balbuena Military Airport with five runways.
• Benito Juarez International Airport handled 3,277,957 passengers last year.
• The airport has suffered from a lack of capacity due to restrictions on expansion, since it is located in a densely populated area.
• Because of Benito Juarez International Airport's high elevation of 7,316 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MEX. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MEX a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) has 2 runways.
• In addition to being known as "Benito Juarez International Airport", another name for MEX is "Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez".
• A new Immigration area was built in the lower level.
• Due to constant growth in demand of both passengers and operations, on January 13, 1994, the Official Gazette of the Federation, published a presidential agreement that prohibited general aviation operations in the AICM, which were moved to Toluca International Airport in order to clear air traffic in the capital's airport.
• The furthest airport from Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,294 miles (18,175 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to the rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• 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 Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• 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.
• 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.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.