Nonstop flight route between San Diego, California, United States and Santa Maria, Portugal:
Departure Airport:
(32°34'19"N by 116°58'49"W)
Arrival Airport:
(36°58'26"N by 25°10'15"W)
Distance from SDM to SMA:
5,001.64 miles (8,049.33 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SDM Airport Information
- SMA Airport Information
- Facts about SDM
- Facts about SMA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SDM
- List of Nearest Airports to SDM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SDM
- List of Furthest Airports from SDM
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMA
- List of Nearest Airports to SMA
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMA
- List of Furthest Airports from SMA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM), San Diego, California, United States and Santa Maria Airport (SMA), Santa Maria, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,002 miles (or 8,049 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 Brown Field Municipal Airport and Santa Maria 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 Brown Field Municipal Airport and Santa Maria Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SDM / KSDM |
| Airport Name: | Brown Field Municipal Airport |
| Location: | San Diego, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 32°34'19"N by 116°58'49"W |
| Area Served: | San Diego, California |
| Operator/Owner: | City of San Diego |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 526 feet (160 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SDM |
| More Information: | SDM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMA / LPAZ |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Santa Maria, Portugal |
| GPS Coordinates: | 36°58'26"N by 25°10'15"W |
| Area Served: | Vila do Porto |
| Operator/Owner: | Government of Portugal |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 308 feet (94 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMA |
| More Information: | SMA Maps & Info |
Facts about Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM):
- Because of Brown Field Municipal Airport's relatively low elevation of 526 feet, planes can take off or land at Brown Field Municipal 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.
- In 1946 the Navy decommissioned Brown Field and turned it over to San Diego County.
- The furthest airport from Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,551 miles (18,590 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- A precision approach is not possible to either runway end due to rising terrain less than six miles east of the airport.
- On September 1, 1962 the Navy transferred ownership of Brown Field to the City of San Diego, with the condition that it remains a public airport.
- Brown Field is 1.5 miles north of the US/Mexico border in the Otay Mesa Community of the City of San Diego.
- Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) is Tijuana International Airport (TIJ), which is located only 2 miles (4 kilometers) SSE of SDM.
Facts about Santa Maria Airport (SMA):
- Because of Santa Maria Airport's relatively low elevation of 308 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria 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 closest airport to Santa Maria Airport (SMA) is João Paulo II Airport (PDL), which is located 60 miles (97 kilometers) NNW of SMA.
- Transportes Aéreos Portugueses began lay-over flights to this airport on 7 December 1962, eventually inaugurating trans-Atlantic service between Santa Maria-New York and Santa Maria-Montreal.
- The furthest airport from Santa Maria Airport (SMA) is Moruya Airport (MYA), which is nearly antipodal to Santa Maria Airport (meaning Santa Maria Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Moruya Airport), and is located 12,166 miles (19,579 kilometers) away in Moruya, New South Wales, Australia.
- Santa Maria Airport (SMA) currently has only 1 runway.
- Santa Maria Airport handled 93,436 passengers last year.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Airport", another name for SMA is "Aeroporto de Santa Maria".
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 2.25 miles (3.62 km) SSE | Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |     |
| 2 | 7.68 miles (12.35 km) W | Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach (NRS) | Imperial Beach, California, United States | |
| 3 | 16.24 miles (26.14 km) WNW | NAS North Island (NZY) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 4 | 16.52 miles (26.58 km) NW | San Diego International Airport (SAN) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 5 | 17.55 miles (28.24 km) N | Gillespie Field (SEE) | San Diego / El Cajon, California, United States | |
| 6 | 19.21 miles (30.91 km) NNW | Montgomery Field (MYF) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 7 | 22.47 miles (36.17 km) NNW | MCAS Miramar, (NKX) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 8 | 42.18 miles (67.88 km) NNW | McClellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) | Carlsbad, California, United States | |
| 9 | 49.55 miles (79.74 km) NNW | Bob Maxwell Field (Oceanside Municipal Airport) (OCN) | Oceanside, California, United States | |
| 10 | 58.05 miles (93.42 km) SSE | Ensenada Airport (ESE) | Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico | |
| 11 | 60.93 miles (98.06 km) NE | Borrego Valley Airport (BXS) | Borrego Springs, California, United States | |
| 12 | 75.43 miles (121.40 km) NE | Salton Sea Airport (SAS) | Salton City, California, United States | |
| 13 | 78.13 miles (125.74 km) ENE | Naval Air Facility El Centro (NJK) | El Centro, California, United States | |
| 14 | 80.30 miles (129.23 km) N | Hemet-Ryan AirportRyan Field (HMT) | Hemet, California, United States | |
| 15 | 83.48 miles (134.35 km) ENE | Imperial County Airport (IPL) | Imperial, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,551.14 miles (18,589.71 km) S | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 11,535.69 miles (18,564.85 km) SSE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 11,530.31 miles (18,556.19 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 11,507.00 miles (18,518.67 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 11,335.51 miles (18,242.70 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,241.88 miles (18,092.00 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,204.11 miles (18,031.23 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,194.32 miles (18,015.46 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,127.00 miles (17,907.12 km) SE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,087.06 miles (17,842.84 km) SE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,082.72 miles (17,835.87 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,054.76 miles (17,790.86 km) ESE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,029.27 miles (17,749.85 km) ESE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,027.42 miles (17,746.88 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,020.39 miles (17,735.56 km) ESE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 60.44 miles (97.26 km) NNW | João Paulo II Airport (PDL) | Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal | |
| 2 | 161.94 miles (260.61 km) NW | Lajes Air Base (TER) | Lajes, Azores, Portugal | |
| 3 | 209.34 miles (336.90 km) WNW | Pico Airport (PIX) | Pico Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 4 | 213.54 miles (343.67 km) NW | Graciosa Airport (GRW) | Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 5 | 221.17 miles (355.94 km) WNW | Horta International Airport (HOR) | Horta, Azores, Portugal | |
| 6 | 366.19 miles (589.32 km) WNW | Flores Airport (FLW) | Flores Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 7 | 371.97 miles (598.63 km) WNW | Corvo Airport (CVU) | Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal | |
| 8 | 560.01 miles (901.25 km) ESE | Madeira Airport (FNC) | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 9 | 566.98 miles (912.46 km) ESE | Porto Santo Airport (PXO) | Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 10 | 719.25 miles (1,157.51 km) SE | La Palma Airport (SPC) | La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 11 | 771.87 miles (1,242.20 km) SE | La Gomera Airport (GMZ) | Alajeró / San Sebastián, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 12 | 778.68 miles (1,253.16 km) SE | Tenerife North Airport (TFN) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 13 | 793.97 miles (1,277.77 km) SE | Tenerife-South Airport (TFS) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 14 | 844.99 miles (1,359.87 km) SE | Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) | Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 15 | 869.00 miles (1,398.51 km) SE | Lanzarote Airport (ACE) | Arrecife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,166.03 miles (19,579.28 km) ESE | Moruya Airport (MYA) | Moruya, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 2 | 12,164.68 miles (19,577.11 km) E | Merimbula Airport (MIM) | Merimbula, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 3 | 12,155.61 miles (19,562.50 km) SE | Illawarra Regional Airport (WOL) | Shellharbour, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 4 | 12,143.59 miles (19,543.17 km) SE | Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport (SYD) | Mascot (near Sydney), Australia | |
| 5 | 12,135.02 miles (19,529.37 km) SE | Bankstown Airport (BWU) | Bankstown (near Sydney), New South Wales, Australia | |
| 6 | 12,128.04 miles (19,518.13 km) SE | Camden Aerodrome (CDU) | Camden, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 7 | 12,113.81 miles (19,495.24 km) ESE | Goulburn Airport (GUL) | Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 8 | 12,112.40 miles (19,492.97 km) SE | Belmont Airport (BEO) | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 9 | 12,102.07 miles (19,476.35 km) ESE | Canberra Airport (CBR) | Canberra, Australia | |
| 10 | 12,101.93 miles (19,476.12 km) SSE | Newcastle Airport (NTL) | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 11 | 12,086.58 miles (19,451.41 km) SE | Cessnock Airport (CES) | Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 12 | 12,086.22 miles (19,450.83 km) SSE | Maitland Airport (MTL) | Maitland, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 13 | 12,054.69 miles (19,400.10 km) SE | Bathurst Airport (BHS) | Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 14 | 12,047.90 miles (19,389.17 km) E | Corryong Airport (CYG) | Corryong, Victoria, Australia | |
| 15 | 12,038.04 miles (19,373.30 km) SSE | Port Macquarie Airport (PQQ) | Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia | |