Nonstop flight route between Skyros, Greece and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Skyros Island National Airport (SKU), Skyros, Greece and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,736 miles (or 4,404 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 Skyros Island National 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 Skyros Island National 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 Skyros Island National Airport (SKU):

• Skyros Island National Airport (SKU) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Skyros Island National Airport (SKU) is Skiathos Airport ‘Alexandros Papadiamantis’ (JSI), which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) WNW of SKU.
• The furthest airport from Skyros Island National Airport (SKU) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,304 miles (18,192 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In addition to being known as "Skyros Island National Airport", another name for SKU is "Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Σκύρου".
• Because of Skyros Island National Airport's relatively low elevation of 44 feet, planes can take off or land at Skyros Island National 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 Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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".
• 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.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including the possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China.
• 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 2009 Lajes provided rescue support of shipping lanes across the Atlantic, a safe haven for medical or mechanical emergency situations in aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and support for the USAF's continuing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• On 1 December 1943, British and U.S.
• Lajes Field also played a crucial role in Cold War politics.
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.