Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Molde, Norway:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Molde Airport, Årø (MOL), Molde, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,100 miles (or 8,207 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 Molde Airport, Årø, 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 Molde Airport, Årø. 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):

• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• 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.
• Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
• 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.
• A 4,000-square-foot baggage claim facility opened in 2007.
• 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.
• 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.

Facts about Molde Airport, Årø (MOL):

• The furthest airport from Molde Airport, Årø (MOL) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,120 miles (17,896 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• In 2005, the airport got permanent international status, and now has a duty-free shop in the departure area.
• Molde Airport, Årø handled 436,471 passengers last year.
• Molde Airport, Årø (MOL) currently has only 1 runway.
• The airport resides at an elevation of 10 feet above mean sea level.
• Because of Molde Airport, Årø's relatively low elevation of 10 feet, planes can take off or land at Molde Airport, Årø 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 Molde Airport, Årø (MOL) is Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget (KSU), which is located 31 miles (50 kilometers) NE of MOL.
• In addition to being known as "Molde Airport, Årø", another name for MOL is "Molde lufthavn, Årø".