Nonstop flight route between Meizhou, Guangdong, China and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Meixian Airport (MXZ), Meizhou, Guangdong, China and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,470 miles (or 12,021 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 Meixian 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 Meixian 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 Meixian Airport (MXZ):

• The furthest airport from Meixian Airport (MXZ) is Gobernador Horacio Guzmán Internacional Airport (JUJ), which is nearly antipodal to Meixian Airport (meaning Meixian Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Gobernador Horacio Guzmán Internacional Airport), and is located 12,360 miles (19,891 kilometers) away in San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina.
• In addition to being known as "Meixian Airport", other names for MXZ include "梅县机场" and "Méixiàn Jīchǎng".
• The closest airport to Meixian Airport (MXZ) is Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport (SWA), which is located 60 miles (96 kilometers) SSE of MXZ.
• Meixian Airport (MXZ) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the 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".
• 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 provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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 United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.