Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Alxa Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport (AXF), Alxa Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,553 miles (or 10,546 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 Public Airport and Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot 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 Santa Maria Public Airport and Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport. 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 Public Airport (SMX):

• The airport was built by the United States Army during World War II, known as Santa Maria Army Air Field.
• At one point during the early 1980's Swift Aire Lines, which was based at the nearby San Luis Obispo Airport, was the only airline flying nonstop between Santa Maria and Los Angeles, primarily with Fokker F27 Friendship turboprops which the carrier had purchased new from the manufacturer.
• Besides the current Allegiant jet service, SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express via a code sharing agreement with United Airlines flies Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops and sometimes Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jet nonstop to Los Angeles that served the airport for many years.
• The closest airport to Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SSW of SMX.
• The furthest airport from Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,466 miles (18,453 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• Because of Santa Maria Public Airport's relatively low elevation of 261 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria Public 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.
• A 4,000-square-foot baggage claim facility opened in 2007.

Facts about Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport (AXF):

• In addition to being known as "Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport", another name for AXF is "阿拉善左旗巴彦浩特机场".
• The furthest airport from Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport (AXF) is Pichoy Airport (ZAL), which is nearly antipodal to Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport (meaning Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Pichoy Airport), and is located 12,347 miles (19,871 kilometers) away in Valdivia, Chile.
• The closest airport to Alxa Left Banner Bayanhot Airport (AXF) is Yinchuan Hedong International Airport (INC), which is located 54 miles (87 kilometers) SE of AXF.