Nonstop flight route between Ruislip, England, United Kingdom and Santa Maria, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(51°33'11"N by 0°25'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W)
Distance from NHT to SMX:
5,450.35 miles (8,771.47 km)
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- About this route
- NHT Airport Information
- SMX Airport Information
- Facts about NHT
- Facts about SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to NHT
- List of Nearest Airports to NHT
- Map of Furthest Airports from NHT
- List of Furthest Airports from NHT
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMX
- List of Nearest Airports to SMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMX
- List of Furthest Airports from SMX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between RAF Northolt (NHT), Ruislip, England, United Kingdom and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,450 miles (or 8,771 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 RAF Northolt 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 RAF Northolt 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:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | NHT / EGWU |
| Airport Name: | RAF Northolt |
| Location: | Ruislip, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°33'11"N by 0°25'5"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from NHT |
| More Information: | NHT Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Santa Maria, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W |
| Area Served: | Santa Maria, California |
| Operator/Owner: | Santa Maria Public Airport District |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 261 feet (80 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMX |
| More Information: | SMX Maps & Info |
Facts about RAF Northolt (NHT):
- The closest airport to RAF Northolt (NHT) is London Heathrow Airport (LHR), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) SSW of NHT.
- Since 1 June 1998, station commanders have served as aides-de-camp to Her Majesty the Queen.
- Squadrons based at RAF Northolt during the battle shot down a total of 148 Luftwaffe aircraft and damaged 52.
- During 1952 a total of 50,000 air movements were recorded per annum, making the airfield the busiest in Europe.
- Civil flights ceased when the central area at Heathrow opened in 1954 with Northolt reverting to sole military use in May that year.
- The furthest airport from RAF Northolt (NHT) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,871 miles (19,105 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Northolt became an active base during the Second World War for Royal Air Force and Polish Air Force squadrons in their defence of the United Kingdom.
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- 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.
- 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.
- The airport was built by the United States Army during World War II, known as Santa Maria Army Air Field.
- A 4,000-square-foot baggage claim facility opened in 2007.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
- 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.
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 5.54 miles (8.91 km) SSW | London Heathrow Airport (LHR) | London, England, United Kingdom |     |
| 2 | 16.36 miles (26.33 km) NNE | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 18.69 miles (30.08 km) WNW | RAF High Wycombe (HYC) | High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 20.62 miles (33.19 km) E | London City Airport (LCY) | London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 22.33 miles (35.93 km) N | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 24.34 miles (39.17 km) SW | Blackbushe Airport (BBS) | Yateley, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 24.66 miles (39.68 km) SW | Farnborough Airport (FAB) | Farnborough, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 24.75 miles (39.84 km) SE | London Biggin Hill Airport (BQH) | Biggin Hill / London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 26.37 miles (42.44 km) SSE | Redhill Aerodrome (KRH) | Redhill, Surrey, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 29.41 miles (47.34 km) W | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 29.66 miles (47.74 km) SSE | Gatwick Airport (LGW) | London, England, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 31.57 miles (50.81 km) SW | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 36.17 miles (58.21 km) NE | London Stansted Airport (STN) | Essex (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 36.65 miles (58.98 km) SW | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 36.68 miles (59.02 km) NNW | Milton Keynes Airport (KYN) | Milton Keynes, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,871.18 miles (19,104.77 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,859.82 miles (19,086.49 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,837.81 miles (19,051.06 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,828.15 miles (19,035.52 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,815.57 miles (19,015.27 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,804.71 miles (18,997.79 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,797.07 miles (18,985.49 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,796.47 miles (18,984.54 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,790.50 miles (18,974.92 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,767.29 miles (18,937.57 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,765.63 miles (18,934.90 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,750.82 miles (18,911.07 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,746.58 miles (18,904.24 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,743.23 miles (18,898.85 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,722.72 miles (18,865.85 km) SE | Fox Glacier Aerodrome (FGL) | Fox Glacier, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.10 miles (21.08 km) SSW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 2 | 16.13 miles (25.95 km) S | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 3 | 25.58 miles (41.17 km) NNW | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.61 miles (47.66 km) SE | Santa Ynez Airport (SQA) | Santa Ynez, California, United States | |
| 5 | 33.64 miles (54.14 km) NNW | O'Sullivan Army Heliport (CSL) | Camp San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 6 | 47.93 miles (77.14 km) SE | Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 7 | 54.32 miles (87.42 km) N | Paso Robles Municipal AirportEstrella Army Airfield (PRB) | Paso Robles, California, United States | |
| 8 | 65.32 miles (105.13 km) NNW | Roberts Army Heliport (SYL) | Camp Roberts, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States | |
| 9 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) SSE | Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 10 | 82.86 miles (133.35 km) ENE | Shafter Airport (MIT) | Shafter, California, United States | |
| 11 | 85.96 miles (138.33 km) SE | Oxnard Airport (OXR) | Oxnard, California, United States | |
| 12 | 87.27 miles (140.45 km) ENE | Meadows Field (BFL) | Bakersfield, California, United States | |
| 13 | 87.83 miles (141.35 km) N | New Coalinga Municipal Airport (CLG) | Coalinga, California, United States | |
| 14 | 88.05 miles (141.70 km) ESE | Santa Paula Airport (SZP) | Santa Paula, California, United States | |
| 15 | 93.18 miles (149.96 km) SE | Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) | Point Mugu, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,466.02 miles (18,452.72 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 2 | 11,438.42 miles (18,408.31 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 3 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.89 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,422.70 miles (18,383.00 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,364.97 miles (18,290.10 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,305.52 miles (18,194.43 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,272.20 miles (18,140.80 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,239.97 miles (18,088.94 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,125.51 miles (17,904.74 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,119.83 miles (17,895.59 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,114.82 miles (17,887.53 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,101.77 miles (17,866.53 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,101.17 miles (17,865.56 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,071.72 miles (17,818.17 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,068.20 miles (17,812.50 km) SSE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |