Nonstop flight route between Somerset, Kentucky, United States and Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(37°3'12"N by 84°36'56"W)
Arrival Airport:
(52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E)
Distance from SME to LKZ:
4,060.82 miles (6,535.24 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- SME Airport Information
- LKZ Airport Information
- Facts about SME
- Facts about LKZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to SME
- List of Nearest Airports to SME
- Map of Furthest Airports from SME
- List of Furthest Airports from SME
- Map of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- List of Nearest Airports to LKZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from LKZ
- List of Furthest Airports from LKZ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky, United States and RAF Lakenheath (LKZ), Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,061 miles (or 6,535 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 Lake Cumberland Regional Airport and RAF Lakenheath, 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 Lake Cumberland Regional Airport and RAF Lakenheath. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SME / KSME |
| Airport Name: | Lake Cumberland Regional Airport |
| Location: | Somerset, Kentucky, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°3'12"N by 84°36'56"W |
| Area Served: | Somerset, Kentucky |
| Operator/Owner: | Somerset-Pulaski County |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 927 feet (283 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SME |
| More Information: | SME Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | LKZ / EGUL |
| Airport Name: | RAF Lakenheath |
| Location: | Lakenheath, England, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 52°24'29"N by 0°33'24"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Defence |
| View all routes: | Routes from LKZ |
| More Information: | LKZ Maps & Info |
Facts about Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME):
- Because of Lake Cumberland Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 927 feet, planes can take off or land at Lake Cumberland Regional 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.
- The furthest airport from Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,309 miles (18,200 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME) is London-Corbin Airport (LOZ), which is located 30 miles (48 kilometers) E of SME.
Facts about RAF Lakenheath (LKZ):
- By the time construction ended the war with Germany was over and RAF Lakenheath was put on a care and maintenance status.
- The furthest airport from RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,827 miles (19,034 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to RAF Lakenheath (LKZ) is RAF Mildenhall (MHZ), which is located only 4 miles (7 kilometers) SW of LKZ.
- The first use of Lakenheath Warren as a Royal Flying Corps airfield was in World War I, when the area was made into a bombing and ground-attack range for aircraft flying from elsewhere in the area.
- Control of RAF Lakenheath was allocated to Third Air Force at South Ruislip Air Station, which had command of SAC B-29 operations in England.
- In conjunction with this transfer, control of RAF Lakenheath was transferred from Strategic Air Command back to USAFE.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 29.75 miles (47.88 km) E | London-Corbin Airport (LOZ) | London, Kentucky, United States |     |
| 2 | 67.91 miles (109.28 km) N | Blue Grass Airport (LEX) | Lexington, Kentucky, United States | |
| 3 | 71.53 miles (115.11 km) NW | Samuels Field (BRY) | Bardstown, Kentucky, United States | |
| 4 | 73.82 miles (118.81 km) W | Glasgow Municipal Airport (GLW) | Glasgow, Kentucky, United States | |
| 5 | 78.28 miles (125.98 km) S | Rockwood Municipal Airport (RKW) | Rockwood, Tennessee, United States | |
| 6 | 79.57 miles (128.05 km) NNW | Capital City Airport (FFT) | Frankfort, Kentucky, United States | |
| 7 | 84.14 miles (135.41 km) WNW | Addington Field (EKX) | Elizabethtown, Kentucky, United States | |
| 8 | 91.52 miles (147.29 km) SE | Morristown Regional Airport (MOR) | Morristown, Tennessee, United States | |
| 9 | 92.54 miles (148.93 km) SSE | McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 94.92 miles (152.75 km) NW | Godman Army Airfield (FTK) | Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States | |
| 11 | 98.78 miles (158.97 km) NW | Louisville International Airport (SDF) | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | |
| 12 | 99.36 miles (159.90 km) NW | Bowman Field (LOU) | Louisville, Kentucky, United States | |
| 13 | 99.73 miles (160.50 km) W | Paducah KY (BWG) | Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States | |
| 14 | 102.35 miles (164.71 km) SE | Gatlinburg–Pigeon Forge Airport (GKT) | Sevierville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 15 | 114.48 miles (184.24 km) S | McMinn County Airport (MMI) | Athens, Tennessee, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,309.05 miles (18,200.10 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,287.65 miles (18,165.67 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,265.95 miles (18,130.74 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,258.23 miles (18,118.32 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,240.41 miles (18,089.64 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,224.29 miles (18,063.70 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,216.42 miles (18,051.03 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,215.52 miles (18,049.58 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,182.64 miles (17,996.66 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,177.80 miles (17,988.88 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,164.01 miles (17,966.68 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,163.01 miles (17,965.07 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,129.18 miles (17,910.63 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,128.91 miles (17,910.20 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,120.18 miles (17,896.16 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.38 miles (7.05 km) SW | RAF Mildenhall (MHZ) | Mildenhall, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 10.20 miles (16.41 km) ESE | RAF Honington USAAF Station 375 (BEQ) | Bury St. Edmunds, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 16.58 miles (26.69 km) N | RAF Marham (KNF) | Marham, Norfolk, East Anglia, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 21.39 miles (34.42 km) SW | Cambridge International Airport (CBG) | Cambridge, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 28.36 miles (45.63 km) SW | Duxford Aerodrome (QFO) | Duxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 30.09 miles (48.43 km) S | MDPGA Wethersfield (WXF) | Braintree, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 33.02 miles (53.13 km) W | RAF AlconburyUSAAF Station 102 (AYH) | Alconbury, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 35.67 miles (57.41 km) ENE | Norwich International Airport (NWI) | Norwich, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 37.55 miles (60.42 km) SE | Ipswich Airport (IPW) | Ipswich, England | |
| 10 | 38.65 miles (62.19 km) SSW | London Stansted Airport (STN) | Essex (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 40.39 miles (65.01 km) ENE | Coltishall (IATA off-point) (CLF) | Coltishall, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 53.83 miles (86.63 km) SW | London Luton Airport (LTN) | Luton (near London), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 55.37 miles (89.11 km) WNW | RAF Cottesmore (OKH) | Oakham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 56.09 miles (90.27 km) SW | Hatfield Aerodrome (HTF) | Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 56.14 miles (90.35 km) NNW | RAF Coningsby (QCY) | Coningsby, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,827.09 miles (19,033.81 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,790.32 miles (18,974.63 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,766.44 miles (18,936.20 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,763.52 miles (18,931.50 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,749.39 miles (18,908.77 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,732.88 miles (18,882.19 km) SE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,726.83 miles (18,872.46 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,724.93 miles (18,869.40 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,718.31 miles (18,858.75 km) SE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,697.18 miles (18,824.74 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,696.39 miles (18,823.46 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,679.36 miles (18,796.06 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,675.07 miles (18,789.16 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,671.69 miles (18,783.72 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,651.69 miles (18,751.53 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |