Nonstop flight route between Sacramento, California, United States and Groningen / Eelde, Netherlands:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Sacramento, California, United States and Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ), Groningen / Eelde, Netherlands would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,378 miles (or 8,655 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 Sacramento International Airport and Groningen Airport Eelde, 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 Sacramento International Airport and Groningen Airport Eelde. 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 Sacramento International Airport (SMF):

• The furthest airport from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,280 miles (18,154 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Sacramento International Airport opened October 21, 1967 as Sacramento Metropolitan Airport with one 8600-foot runway.
• In 2011 the airport carried an estimated 9 million passengers.
• As the nation’s economy was taking a hit in 2008, commercial aviation was challenged by reduced passenger numbers and increasing fuel and other costs.
• Because of Sacramento International Airport's relatively low elevation of 27 feet, planes can take off or land at Sacramento International 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.
• Sacramento International Airport handled 8,910,570 passengers last year.
• California Pacific Airlines hopes to fly between Sacramento and Carlsbad in southern California in 2013.
• September 11 did not deter growth at Sacramento International Airport.
• Long dominated by Southwest and United, the intra-California market was joined in 2011 by American and Delta which fly from Los Angeles International Airport.
• The closest airport to Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is Sacramento Airport McClellan Airfield (MCC), which is located only 10 miles (17 kilometers) E of SMF.
• Sacramento hosted one of Alaska Airlines' last MD-80 flights, Sacramento to Seattle.
• Sacramento International Airport (SMF) has 2 runways.

Facts about Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ):

• The airfield returns to the hands of the NV Luchtvaartterrein Noord-Nederland.
• The closest airport to Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) is Emden Airport (EME), which is located 32 miles (52 kilometers) NE of GRQ.
• Groningen Airport Eelde handled 20,866 passengers last year.
• Groningen Airport Eelde is a civilian airport near Eelde, in the northeastern Netherlands.
• The furthest airport from Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,778 miles (18,956 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) has 2 runways.
• The aerodrome's name was changed once again in 1988, becoming officially "Groningen Airport Eelde NV".
• In 1997, the Dutch government planned to stop financial support to most regional airports.
• Because of Groningen Airport Eelde's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Groningen Airport Eelde 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 1956, the airport was renamed as "Luchthaven Eelde NV".