Nonstop flight route between Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,538 miles (or 5,694 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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 Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC):

• The closest airport to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) NNW of MKC.
• Because of Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport's relatively low elevation of 756 feet, planes can take off or land at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown 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 airport had limited area for expansion.
• Despite concerns about the airport being unsafe, Air Force One frequently uses it during Presidential visits.
• Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) has 2 runways.
• It is home to the National Airline History Museum, and the TWA Museum.
• The furthest airport from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,758 miles (17,313 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The airport is on the north side of the confluence of the Kansas River and Missouri River.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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".
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• 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.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• 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 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.
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.