Nonstop flight route between San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (SLP), San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,424 miles (or 7,119 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 Ponciano Arriaga International 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 Ponciano Arriaga International 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 Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (SLP):

• Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (SLP) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (SLP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,410 miles (18,362 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Because of Ponciano Arriaga International Airport's high elevation of 6,035 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at SLP. Combined with a high temperature, this could make SLP a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The closest airport to Ponciano Arriaga International Airport (SLP) is Guanajuato International Airport (BJX), which is located 94 miles (151 kilometers) SSW of SLP.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• In 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17, Grumman HU-16 Albatross, Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.
• Recently, in August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for DACT training over the Atlantic Ocean.
• 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.
• 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.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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".