Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Luang Prabang, Laos:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ), Luang Prabang, Laos would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,731 miles (or 12,441 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 Luang Prabang International 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 Luang Prabang International 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 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".
• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• 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.
• During its use by the military Santa Maria AAF also controlled Estrella Army Airfield, near Paso Robles as an auxiliary airfield to support the pilot training activity.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ):

• Because of Luang Prabang International Airport's relatively low elevation of 955 feet, planes can take off or land at Luang Prabang 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.
• The closest airport to Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Sayaboury Airport (ZBY), which is located 54 miles (86 kilometers) SSW of LPQ.
• In addition to being known as "Luang Prabang International Airport", another name for LPQ is "ສະຫນາມບິນສາກົນຫຼວງພະບາງ".
• Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) is Maria Reiche Neuman Airport (NZC), which is nearly antipodal to Luang Prabang International Airport (meaning Luang Prabang International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maria Reiche Neuman Airport), and is located 12,040 miles (19,377 kilometers) away in Nazca, Ica Region, Peru.