Nonstop flight route between Sanford, Maine, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(43°23'38"N by 70°42'29"W)
Arrival Airport:
(52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E)
Distance from SFM to LKZ:
3,221.58 miles (5,184.62 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SFM Airport Information
- LKZ Airport Information
- Facts about SFM
- Facts about LKZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to SFM
- List of Nearest Airports to SFM
- Map of Furthest Airports from SFM
- List of Furthest Airports from SFM
- Map of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- List of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from LKZ
- List of Furthest Airports from LKZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM), Sanford, Maine, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,222 miles (or 5,185 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport and RAF Lakenheath. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SFM / KSFM |
| Airport Name: | Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport |
| Location: | Sanford, Maine, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 43°23'38"N by 70°42'29"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Town of Sanford |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 244 feet (74 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SFM |
| More Information: | SFM Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | LKZ / EGUL |
| Airport Name: | RAF Lakenheath |
| Location: | Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from LKZ |
| More Information: | LKZ Maps & Info |
Facts about Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM):
- The closest airport to Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) is Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM), which is located 23 miles (36 kilometers) SSW of SFM.
- Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) has 2 runways.
- Because of Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 244 feet, planes can take off or land at Sanford Seacoast Regional 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 Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport (SFM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,712 miles (18,849 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):
- Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel.
- In 1940, the Air Ministry selected Lakenheath as an alternative for RAF Mildenhall and used it as a decoy airfield.
- The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
- The furthest airport from RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union in Europe began as early as 1946.
- Meanwhile on 30 April 1956, two Lockheed U-2s were airlifted to RAF Lakenheath to form CIA Detachment A.
- The reason for the departure of the two bomber squadrons was Lakenheath's selection for upgrading to a Very Heavy Bomber airfield.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 22.58 miles (36.34 km) SSW | Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) | Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States |     |
| 2 | 26.52 miles (42.67 km) NE | Portland International Jetport (PWM) | Portland, Maine, United States | |
| 3 | 37.72 miles (60.70 km) WNW | Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI) | Laconia, New Hampshire, United States | |
| 4 | 42.06 miles (67.69 km) WSW | Concord Municipal Airport (CON) | Concord, New Hampshire, United States | |
| 5 | 42.97 miles (69.15 km) NNW | Eastern Slopes Regional Airport (FRY) | Fryeburg, Maine, United States | |
| 6 | 48.58 miles (78.19 km) SW | Manchester–Boston Regional Airport (MHT) | Manchester, New Hampshire, United States | |
| 7 | 49.96 miles (80.40 km) NNE | Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport (LEW) | Auburn/Lewiston, Maine, United States | |
| 8 | 51.24 miles (82.46 km) SSW | Lawrence Municipal Airport (LWM) | Lawrence, Massachusetts, United States | |
| 9 | 51.63 miles (83.09 km) NE | Naval Air Station Brunswick (NHZ) | Brunswick, Maine, United States | |
| 10 | 56.93 miles (91.62 km) S | Beverly Municipal Airport (BVY) | Beverly, Massachusetts, United States | |
| 11 | 58.70 miles (94.47 km) SW | Nashua Airport (ASH) | Nashua, New Hampshire, United States | |
| 12 | 63.34 miles (101.94 km) NE | Wiscasset Airport (ISS) | Wiscasset, Maine, United States | |
| 13 | 70.27 miles (113.09 km) SSW | Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED) | Bedford, Massachusetts, United States | |
| 14 | 72.63 miles (116.88 km) SW | Moore Army Airfield (AYE) | Leominster, Massachusetts, United States | |
| 15 | 72.81 miles (117.17 km) SSW | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) | Boston, Massachusetts, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,712.18 miles (18,848.87 km) SSW | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,706.88 miles (18,840.35 km) SSW | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,696.68 miles (18,823.93 km) SW | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,689.83 miles (18,812.90 km) SSW | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,663.78 miles (18,770.99 km) SSW | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,629.74 miles (18,716.21 km) SW | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,579.73 miles (18,635.72 km) SSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,577.99 miles (18,632.92 km) SSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,566.03 miles (18,613.67 km) SSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,485.61 miles (18,484.25 km) SW | Esperance Airport (EPR) | Esperance, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,478.48 miles (18,472.77 km) SSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,387.94 miles (18,327.07 km) SSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,384.47 miles (18,321.48 km) SSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,359.25 miles (18,280.89 km) SW | Windarling Airport (WRN) | Windarling, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,358.29 miles (18,279.34 km) SW | Kambalda Airport (KDB) | Kambalda, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.38 miles (7.05 km) SW | RAF Mildenhall (MHZ) | Mildenhall, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 10.20 miles (16.41 km) ESE | RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ) | Bury St. Edmunds, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 16.58 miles (26.69 km) N | RAF Marham (KNF) | Marham, Norfolk, East Anglia, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 21.39 miles (34.42 km) SW | Cambridge International Airport (CBG) | Cambridge, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 28.36 miles (45.63 km) SW | Duxford Aerodrome (QFO) | Duxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 30.09 miles (48.43 km) S | MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) | Braintree, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 33.02 miles (53.13 km) W | RAF AlconburyUSAAF Station 102 (AYH) | Alconbury, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 35.67 miles (57.41 km) ENE | Norwich International Airport (NWI) | Norwich, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 37.55 miles (60.42 km) SE | Ipswich Airport (IPW) | Ipswich, England | |
| 10 | 38.65 miles (62.19 km) SSW | London Stansted Airport (STN) | Essex (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 40.39 miles (65.01 km) ENE | Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF) | Coltishall, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 53.83 miles (86.63 km) SW | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 55.37 miles (89.11 km) WNW | RAF Cottesmore (OKH) | Oakham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 56.09 miles (90.27 km) SW | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 56.14 miles (90.35 km) NNW | RAF Coningsby (QCY) | Coningsby, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,827.09 miles (19,033.81 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,790.32 miles (18,974.63 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,766.44 miles (18,936.20 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,763.52 miles (18,931.50 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,749.39 miles (18,908.77 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,732.88 miles (18,882.19 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,726.83 miles (18,872.46 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,724.93 miles (18,869.40 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,718.31 miles (18,858.75 km) SE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,697.18 miles (18,824.74 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,696.39 miles (18,823.46 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,679.36 miles (18,796.06 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,675.07 miles (18,789.16 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,671.69 miles (18,783.72 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,651.69 miles (18,751.53 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |