Nonstop flight route between Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar and Decatur, Alabama, United States:
Departure Airport:
(17°5'38"S by 49°48'56"E)
Arrival Airport:
(34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W)
Distance from SMS to DCU:
9,515.93 miles (15,314.37 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SMS Airport Information
- DCU Airport Information
- Facts about SMS
- Facts about DCU
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMS
- List of Nearest Airports to SMS
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMS
- List of Furthest Airports from SMS
- Map of Nearest Airports to DCU
- List of Nearest Airports to DCU
- Map of Furthest Airports from DCU
- List of Furthest Airports from DCU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Sainte Marie Airport (SMS), Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar and Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU), Decatur, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,516 miles (or 15,314 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 Sainte Marie Airport and Pryor Field Regional Airport, 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 Sainte Marie Airport and Pryor Field Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMS / FMMS |
| Airport Name: | Sainte Marie Airport |
| Location: | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar |
| GPS Coordinates: | 17°5'38"S by 49°48'56"E |
| Area Served: | Sainte Marie, Analanjirofo, Madagascar |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 7 feet (2 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMS |
| More Information: | SMS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | DCU / KDCU |
| Airport Name: | Pryor Field Regional Airport |
| Location: | Decatur, Alabama, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°39'15"N by 86°56'43"W |
| Area Served: | Decatur, Alabama |
| Operator/Owner: | Decatur/Athens Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 592 feet (180 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from DCU |
| More Information: | DCU Maps & Info |
Facts about Sainte Marie Airport (SMS):
- Because of Sainte Marie Airport's relatively low elevation of 7 feet, planes can take off or land at Sainte Marie 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 Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) is Guerrero Negro Airport (GUB), which is located 11,161 miles (17,962 kilometers) away in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
- The closest airport to Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) is Toamasino Airport (TMM), which is located 76 miles (122 kilometers) SSW of SMS.
- Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU):
- A newly built $1.8 million terminal building opened in 2008 at the north end of the field as part of a federally funded $3.3 million project.
- Because of Pryor Field Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 592 feet, planes can take off or land at Pryor Field 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 Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,180 miles (17,992 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) currently has only 1 runway.
- In 2007, Chris Wright was struck by a propeller as he was "hand propping" starting his plane.
- The closest airport to Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) is Huntsville International Airport (HSV), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) E of DCU.
- The Pryor Field Regional Airport receives $30,000 annually each from the cities of Athens and Decatur and from the county commissions of Morgan and Limestone
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 75.51 miles (121.52 km) SSW | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar |     |
| 2 | 109.66 miles (176.48 km) NW | Mandritsara Airport (WMA) | Mandritsara, Madagascar | |
| 3 | 147.27 miles (237.02 km) W | Tsaratanana Airport (TTS) | Tsaratanana, Madagascar. | |
| 4 | 148.54 miles (239.05 km) NNE | Antsirabato Airport (ANM) | Antalaha, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 179.31 miles (288.56 km) NW | Port Bergé Airport (WPB) | Port Bergé, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 193.49 miles (311.40 km) SW | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 218.14 miles (351.06 km) NW | Analalava Airport (HVA) | Analalava, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 249.90 miles (402.17 km) WNW | Amborovy Airport (MJN) | Mahajanga, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 255.83 miles (411.71 km) NNW | Ambanja Airport (IVA) | Ambanja, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 272.99 miles (439.33 km) WSW | Tsiroanomandidy Airport (WTS) | Tsiroanomandidy, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 275.44 miles (443.27 km) NNW | Ambilobe Airport (AMB) | Ambilobe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 279.38 miles (449.62 km) W | Ambatomainty Airport (AMY) | Ambatomainty, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 299.34 miles (481.74 km) SSW | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 302.75 miles (487.22 km) WNW | Soalala Airport (DWB) | Soalala, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 320.40 miles (515.63 km) WSW | Ankavandra Airport (JVA) | Ankavandra, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,160.95 miles (17,961.77 km) NW | Guerrero Negro Airport (GUB) | Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico | |
| 2 | 11,121.21 miles (17,897.80 km) WNW | Ciudad Constitución Airport (CUA) | Ciudad Constitución, Baja California Sur, Mexico | |
| 3 | 11,112.23 miles (17,883.35 km) NW | Ensenada Airport (ESE) | Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico | |
| 4 | 11,103.17 miles (17,868.77 km) NNW | Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 5 | 11,101.15 miles (17,865.52 km) NW | Bahía de los Ángeles Airport (BHL) | Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California, México | |
| 6 | 11,093.48 miles (17,853.19 km) NNW | Catalina AirportBuffalo Springs Airport (CIB) | Avalon, California, United States | |
| 7 | 11,092.50 miles (17,851.61 km) NW | Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach (NRS) | Imperial Beach, California, United States | |
| 8 | 11,089.23 miles (17,846.34 km) NW | NAS North Island (NZY) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 9 | 11,088.31 miles (17,844.86 km) NW | Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | |
| 10 | 11,087.06 miles (17,842.84 km) NW | Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 11 | 11,086.45 miles (17,841.87 km) NW | San Diego International Airport (SAN) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| 12 | 11,082.62 miles (17,835.71 km) NNW | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 13 | 11,081.44 miles (17,833.81 km) WNW | Loreto International Airport (LTO) | Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico | |
| 14 | 11,081.30 miles (17,833.57 km) NNW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 15 | 11,080.22 miles (17,831.85 km) NW | Montgomery Field (MYF) | San Diego, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 9.75 miles (15.69 km) E | Huntsville International Airport (HSV) | Huntsville / Decatur, Alabama, United States | |
| 2 | 14.90 miles (23.98 km) E | Redstone Army Airfield (AAF) (HUA) | Redstone Arsenal (near Huntsville), Alabama, United States | |
| 3 | 35.39 miles (56.96 km) NE | Fayetteville Municipal Airport (FYM) | Fayetteville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 4 | 38.30 miles (61.63 km) W | Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) | Muscle Shoals, Alabama, United States | |
| 5 | 63.59 miles (102.34 km) NNW | Maury County Airport (MRC) | Columbia/Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, United States | |
| 6 | 63.86 miles (102.77 km) NE | Tullahoma Regional Airport (THA) | Tullahoma, Tennessee, United States | |
| 7 | 67.85 miles (109.19 km) SE | Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD) | Gadsden, Alabama, United States | |
| 8 | 68.70 miles (110.56 km) NNE | Shelbyville Municipal Airport (SYI) | Shelbyville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 9 | 70.49 miles (113.44 km) ENE | Franklin County Airport (UOS) | Sewanee, Tennessee, United States | |
| 10 | 70.57 miles (113.57 km) WSW | Marion County - Rankin Fite Airport (HAB) | Hamilton, Alabama, United States | |
| 11 | 76.14 miles (122.53 km) S | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) | Birmingham, Alabama, United States | |
| 12 | 82.06 miles (132.06 km) ENE | Marion County Airport (APT) | Jasper, Tennessee, United States | |
| 13 | 85.51 miles (137.62 km) SSE | St. Clair County Airport (PLR) | Pell City, Alabama, United States | |
| 14 | 86.47 miles (139.16 km) NNW | Centerville Municipal Airport (GHM) | Centerville, Tennessee, United States | |
| 15 | 90.74 miles (146.03 km) SE | Talladega Municipal Airport (ASN) | Talladega, Alabama, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,179.89 miles (17,992.25 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,160.27 miles (17,960.66 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,140.94 miles (17,929.56 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,128.73 miles (17,909.90 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,124.24 miles (17,902.69 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,122.62 miles (17,900.07 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,110.85 miles (17,881.13 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,104.61 miles (17,871.09 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,103.33 miles (17,869.03 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,097.40 miles (17,859.49 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,074.48 miles (17,822.60 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,050.67 miles (17,784.29 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,041.81 miles (17,770.02 km) W | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,035.79 miles (17,760.33 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,032.55 miles (17,755.12 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |