Nonstop flight route between Xi'an, Shaanxi, China and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA), Xi'an, Shaanxi, China and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,659 miles (or 10,717 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 Xi'an Xiguan 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 Xi'an Xiguan 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 Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA):

• Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) WNW of SIA.
• The furthest airport from Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) is La Unión Airport (LUI), which is nearly antipodal to Xi'an Xiguan Airport (meaning Xi'an Xiguan Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from La Unión Airport), and is located 12,392 miles (19,943 kilometers) away in La Unión, Honduras[disambiguation needed].
• In addition to being known as "Xi'an Xiguan Airport", other names for SIA include "西安西关机场" and "Xī'ān Xīguān Jīchǎng".

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• Despite NATO and non-NATO fighter and transport planes which continue to use Lajes on a regular basis, the US DoD movements are now at an all time low.
• 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.
• In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization military alliance was established.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• The United States and the United Kingdom transferred control of Lajes to Portugal in 1946.
• 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".