Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W)
Arrival Airport:
(51°31'9"N by 2°35'36"W)
Distance from SMX to FZO:
5,383.45 miles (8,663.80 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SMX Airport Information
- FZO Airport Information
- Facts about SMX
- Facts about FZO
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMX
- List of Nearest Airports to SMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMX
- List of Furthest Airports from SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to FZO
- List of Nearest Airports to FZO
- Map of Furthest Airports from FZO
- List of Furthest Airports from FZO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Bristol Filton Airport (FZO), Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,383 miles (or 8,664 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 Bristol Filton 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 Bristol Filton Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Santa Maria, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W |
| Area Served: | Santa Maria, California |
| Operator/Owner: | Santa Maria Public Airport District |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 261 feet (80 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMX |
| More Information: | SMX Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | FZO / EGTG |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 51°31'9"N by 2°35'36"W |
| Area Served: | Bristol |
| Operator/Owner: | BAE Systems Aviation Services Ltd |
| Airport Type: | Private |
| Elevation: | 225 feet (69 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from FZO |
| More Information: | FZO Maps & Info |
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- 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.
- 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.
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
- 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 first airline to serve Santa Maria was Southwest Airways operating Douglas DC-3 prop aircraft.
- In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
Facts about Bristol Filton Airport (FZO):
- In addition to being known as "Bristol Filton Airport", another name for FZO is "Filton Aerodrome".
- Before World War II, there were only grass runways at Filton.
- The length of the runway and its closed-to-passengers status made it an ideal dispersion site for the nation's airborne nuclear deterrent during the Cold War.
- Because of Bristol Filton Airport's relatively low elevation of 225 feet, planes can take off or land at Bristol Filton 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 1948, 501 Squadron was equipped with De Havilland Vampire jets.
- Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) is Dunedin International Airport (DUD), which is located 11,930 miles (19,200 kilometers) away in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
- In 1954 BAC opened a technical college for apprentices and trainees at the bottom of Filton Hill.
- The closest airport to Bristol Filton Airport (FZO) is Bristol Airport (BRS), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SSW of FZO.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.10 miles (21.08 km) SSW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States |     |
| 2 | 16.13 miles (25.95 km) S | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 3 | 25.58 miles (41.17 km) NNW | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.61 miles (47.66 km) SE | Santa Ynez Airport (SQA) | Santa Ynez, California, United States | |
| 5 | 33.64 miles (54.14 km) NNW | O'Sullivan Army Heliport (CSL) | Camp San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 6 | 47.93 miles (77.14 km) SE | Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 7 | 54.32 miles (87.42 km) N | Paso Robles Municipal AirportEstrella Army Airfield (PRB) | Paso Robles, California, United States | |
| 8 | 65.32 miles (105.13 km) NNW | Roberts Army Heliport (SYL) | Camp Roberts, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States | |
| 9 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) SSE | Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 10 | 82.86 miles (133.35 km) ENE | Shafter Airport (MIT) | Shafter, California, United States | |
| 11 | 85.96 miles (138.33 km) SE | Oxnard Airport (OXR) | Oxnard, California, United States | |
| 12 | 87.27 miles (140.45 km) ENE | Meadows Field (BFL) | Bakersfield, California, United States | |
| 13 | 87.83 miles (141.35 km) N | New Coalinga Municipal Airport (CLG) | Coalinga, California, United States | |
| 14 | 88.05 miles (141.70 km) ESE | Santa Paula Airport (SZP) | Santa Paula, California, United States | |
| 15 | 93.18 miles (149.96 km) SE | Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) | Point Mugu, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,466.02 miles (18,452.72 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 2 | 11,438.42 miles (18,408.31 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 3 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.89 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,422.70 miles (18,383.00 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,364.97 miles (18,290.10 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,305.52 miles (18,194.43 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,272.20 miles (18,140.80 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,239.97 miles (18,088.94 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,125.51 miles (17,904.74 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,119.83 miles (17,895.59 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,114.82 miles (17,887.53 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,101.77 miles (17,866.53 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,101.17 miles (17,865.56 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,071.72 miles (17,818.17 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,068.20 miles (17,812.50 km) SSE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10.88 miles (17.51 km) SSW | Bristol Airport (BRS) | Bristol, England, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 25.83 miles (41.57 km) E | RAF Lyneham (LYE) | Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 33.37 miles (53.71 km) WSW | Cardiff Airport (CWL) | Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 36.28 miles (58.38 km) ENE | RAF Fairford (FFD) | Fairford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 37.11 miles (59.72 km) WSW | MoD St Athan (DGX) | St Athan, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 46.15 miles (74.27 km) ENE | RAF Brize Norton (BZZ) | Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 58.81 miles (94.64 km) ENE | Oxford Airport (OXF) | Oxford, England, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 60.58 miles (97.49 km) SSE | Bournemouth Airport (BOH) | Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 63.60 miles (102.35 km) W | Swansea Airport (SWS) | Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 64.67 miles (104.08 km) E | RAF Benson (BEX) | Benson, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 64.86 miles (104.38 km) SSW | Exeter International Airport (EXT) | Exeter, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 66.41 miles (106.87 km) SE | Southampton Airport (SOU) | Eastleigh (near Southampton), England, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 71.12 miles (114.45 km) ESE | Lasham Airfield (QLA) | Lasham, England, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 73.87 miles (118.89 km) ESE | RAF Odiham (ODH) | Odiham, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 73.91 miles (118.95 km) NNE | Birmingham Airport (BHX) | Birmingham, England, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,930.15 miles (19,199.67 km) SE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,909.94 miles (19,167.14 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,899.23 miles (19,149.91 km) SE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,894.67 miles (19,142.56 km) SE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,866.59 miles (19,097.38 km) SE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,862.33 miles (19,090.52 km) SSE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,849.91 miles (19,070.54 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,837.49 miles (19,050.54 km) SSE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,837.22 miles (19,050.11 km) SE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,835.71 miles (19,047.69 km) SE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,832.93 miles (19,043.20 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,812.07 miles (19,009.64 km) SE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,803.88 miles (18,996.46 km) SE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,793.43 miles (18,979.63 km) SE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,783.57 miles (18,963.78 km) SSE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |