Nonstop flight route between Istanbul, Turkey and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), Istanbul, Turkey and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,943 miles (or 4,737 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen 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 İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW):

• The closest airport to İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) WNW of SAW.
• Because of İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport's relatively low elevation of 312 feet, planes can take off or land at İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen 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.
• İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport handled 1,864,184 passengers last year.
• HAVAŞ shuttle services have been stopped in Greater Istanbul Metropolitan Area.
• The airport's cargo terminal has a capacity of 90,000 tons per year and is equipped with 18 cold storage depots.
• In addition to being known as "İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport", another name for SAW is "Sabiha Gökçen Uluslararası Havalimanı".
• İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,160 miles (17,961 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• 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 resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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.