Nonstop flight route between Panama City, Florida, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN), Panama City, Florida, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,332 miles (or 5,362 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 Panama City–Bay County 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 Panama City–Bay County 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 Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN):

• Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport replaced Panama City–Bay County International Airport, which lacked room to expand.
• In 1992 the airport was equipped with on-call customs and immigrations facilities provided through the Port of Panama City and was designated as an international airport and renamed Panama City–Bay County International Airport.
• Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) has 2 runways.
• Because of Panama City–Bay County International Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Panama City–Bay County International 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 furthest airport from Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,227 miles (18,068 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN) is Tyndall Air Force Base (PAM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SE of PFN.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• On January 31, 1951, a Douglas C-54 Skymaster operated by the Portuguese Air Force crashed into the sea while approaching Lajes Field, having taken off from Lisbon, Portugal, killing all 14 on board.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• 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".
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.