Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, Portugal and Palm Springs, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Airport (SMA), Santa Maria, Portugal and Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP), Palm Springs, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,932 miles (or 7,937 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 Santa Maria Airport and Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield, 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 Santa Maria Airport and Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield. 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 Santa Maria Airport (SMA):

• Santa Maria Airport handled 93,436 passengers last year.
• It was built in the context of the Second World War, by US troops in order to maintain supply lines to Europe, and inaugurated on 26 July 1945.
• The forerunner of SATA Air Açores initiated services concurrently to São Miguel and Terceira from Santa Maria Airport on 5 August 1947, using a plane christened "Açor".
• The furthest airport from Santa Maria Airport (SMA) is Moruya Airport (MYA), which is nearly antipodal to Santa Maria Airport (meaning Santa Maria Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Moruya Airport), and is located 12,166 miles (19,579 kilometers) away in Moruya, New South Wales, Australia.
• The closest airport to Santa Maria Airport (SMA) is João Paulo II Airport (PDL), which is located 60 miles (97 kilometers) NNW of SMA.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Airport", another name for SMA is "Aeroporto de Santa Maria".
• For a while, Air France's supersonic Concordes were routed to Santa Maria on refueling layovers between Paris and Caracas.
• Because of Santa Maria Airport's relatively low elevation of 308 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria 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.
• Santa Maria Airport (SMA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Along with the airports in Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Flores, Horta, Ponta Delgada and Beja, the airport's concessions to provide support to civil aviation was conceded to ANA Aeroportos de Portugal on 18 December 1998, under provisions of decree 404/98.

Facts about Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP):

• PSP was built as a United States Army Air Corps emergency landing field in 1939 on land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians due to its clear weather and its proximity to March Field and the Los Angeles area.
• Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,464 miles (18,450 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Although a true international airport, PSP does have customs for general aviation aircraft only, and immigration facilities.
• Because of Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield's relatively low elevation of 477 feet, planes can take off or land at Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield 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.
• Western Airlines flights began in 1945–46 and Bonanza Airlines in 1957–58.
• The airport was named one of "America's Most Stress-Free Airports" by Smarter Travel.
• Palm Springs International Airport is a public airport two miles east of downtown Palm Springs, California.
• The main building is the land side of the airport.
• The closest airport to Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs Army Airfield (PSP) is Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD), which is located only 14 miles (23 kilometers) ESE of PSP.