Nonstop flight route between Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, France and Santa Maria, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB), Aix-en-Provence / Les Milles, France and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,037 miles (or 9,716 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 Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome 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 Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB):

• The furthest airport from Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (meaning Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,343 miles (19,864 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) is Marseille Provence Airport (MRS), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) WSW of QXB.
• In addition to being known as "Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome", other names for QXB include "'Aérodrome d'Aix-en-Provence(Advanced Landing Ground Y-15)" and "(Advanced Landing Ground Y-15)".
• Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome (QXB) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome's relatively low elevation of 368 feet, planes can take off or land at Aix-en-Provence Aerodrome 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.

Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):

• At one point during the early 1980's Swift Aire Lines, which was based at the nearby San Luis Obispo Airport, was the only airline flying nonstop between Santa Maria and Los Angeles, primarily with Fokker F27 Friendship turboprops which the carrier had purchased new from the manufacturer.
• 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.
• A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
• The first airline to serve Santa Maria was Southwest Airways operating Douglas DC-3 prop aircraft.
• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• The original Allan Hancock Field was established in 1927 at another location, between Jones Street to the north, Stowell Road to the south, Bradley Road to the east and Miller Street to the west.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• Besides the current Allegiant jet service, SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express via a code sharing agreement with United Airlines flies Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops and sometimes Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jet nonstop to Los Angeles that served the airport for many years.
• 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 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.