Nonstop flight route between Santa Monica, California, United States and Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SMO to NQX:
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- About this route
- SMO Airport Information
- NQX Airport Information
- Facts about SMO
- Facts about NQX
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMO
- List of Nearest Airports to SMO
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMO
- List of Furthest Airports from SMO
- Map of Nearest Airports to NQX
- List of Nearest Airports to NQX
- Map of Furthest Airports from NQX
- List of Furthest Airports from NQX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Monica Airport (SMO), Santa Monica, California, United States and NAS Key West (NQX), Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,295 miles (or 3,694 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 relatively short distance between Santa Monica Airport and NAS Key West, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMO / KSMO |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Santa Monica, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°0'56"N by 118°27'5"W |
| Operator/Owner: | City of Santa Monica |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 177 feet (54 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMO |
| More Information: | SMO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | NQX / KNQX |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Boca Chica Key, Florida, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 24°34'32"N by 81°41'20"W |
| Operator/Owner: | United States Navy |
| Airport Type: | Military: Naval Air Station |
| Elevation: | 6 feet (2 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from NQX |
| More Information: | NQX Maps & Info |
Facts about Santa Monica Airport (SMO):
- In addition to being known as "Santa Monica Airport", other names for SMO include "Santa Monica Municipal Airport" and "Clover Field".
- Santa Monica Airport (SMO) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Santa Monica Airport's relatively low elevation of 177 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Monica 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.
- In 2015, the City of Santa Monica's settlement agreement with the FAA concerning the airport expires.
- In 1958, Donald Douglas asked the city to lengthen the airport's runway so that Douglas Aircraft could produce and test the DC-8 there.
- The closest airport to Santa Monica Airport (SMO) is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is located only 6 miles (9 kilometers) SSE of SMO.
- In addition, there are numerous recommended noise abatement procedures and limitations that have been incorporated into the Airport’s Fly Neighborly Program and included in the program’s outreach materials.
- The furthest airport from Santa Monica Airport (SMO) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,484 miles (18,481 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
Facts about NAS Key West (NQX):
- After World War I, the base was decommissioned and its personnel were transferred or released.
- The closest airport to NAS Key West (NQX) is Key West International Airport (EYW), which is located only 5 miles (7 kilometers) WSW of NQX.
- In 1973, Reconnaissance Attack Wing 1 began relocation from the closing NAS Albany, Georgia with its RA-5C Vigilante, TA-3B Skywarrior and TA-4F/J Skyhawk II aircraft.
- In addition to being known as "NAS Key West", other names for NQX include "Naval Air Station Key West" and "NQX[1]".
- Naval Air Base Key West pilots flew in search of German submarines resting on the surface to recharge batteries.
- Because of NAS Key West's relatively low elevation of 6 feet, planes can take off or land at NAS Key West 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.
- NAS Key West (NQX) has 3 runways.
- During World War I the base was expanded again, and in 1917, a U.S.
- NAS Key West was to become a focal point during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, which posed the first doorstep threat to America in more than a century.
- The furthest airport from NAS Key West (NQX) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,575 miles (18,629 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
