Nonstop flight route between Sugar Land, Texas (near Houston), United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR), Sugar Land, Texas (near Houston), United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,879 miles (or 6,242 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 Sugar Land Regional 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 Sugar Land Regional 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 Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR):

• Aerial photograph of the airport and the Central Unit prison property on January 27, 2002 - U.S.
• The airport, the fourth largest airport in Greater Houston as of 2009, receives yearly usage from over 100 Fortune 500 companies.
• Because of Sugar Land Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 82 feet, planes can take off or land at Sugar Land 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.
• Sugar Land Regional Airport covers an area of 426 acres and contains one concrete paved runway designated 17/35 which measures 8,000 x 100 ft.
• The furthest airport from Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,990 miles (17,687 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) is Andrau Airpark (AAP), which is located only 8 miles (13 kilometers) NE of SGR.
• Sugar Land Regional Airport (SGR) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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 Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• 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.
• 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 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to the rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation.