Nonstop flight route between Shirahama, Japan and Santa Maria, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Nanki-Shirahama Airport (SHM), Shirahama, Japan and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,623 miles (or 9,049 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 Nanki-Shirahama Airport 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 Nanki-Shirahama Airport 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 Nanki-Shirahama Airport (SHM):

• The closest airport to Nanki-Shirahama Airport (SHM) is Kansai International Airport (KIX), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) N of SHM.
• In addition to being known as "Nanki-Shirahama Airport", other names for SHM include "南紀白浜空港" and "Nanki Shirahama Kūkō".
• Nanki-Shirahama Airport (SHM) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Nanki-Shirahama Airport (SHM) is Diomício Freitas/Forquilhinha Airport (CCM), which is located 11,994 miles (19,302 kilometers) away in Criciúma, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
• Because of Nanki-Shirahama Airport's relatively low elevation of 293 feet, planes can take off or land at Nanki-Shirahama 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.

Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):

• Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
• Other enhancements include a new passenger terminal holding room that opened February 2008.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• 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.
• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• 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.
• During its use by the military Santa Maria AAF also controlled Estrella Army Airfield, near Paso Robles as an auxiliary airfield to support the pilot training activity.
• After the war Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria acquired the land and facilities through two grants in 1948.