Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Megève, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Megève Aerodrome (MVV), Megève, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,959 miles (or 9,590 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 Megève Aerodrome, 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 Megève Aerodrome. 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 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 airport was built by the United States Army during World War II, known as Santa Maria Army Air Field.
• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
• 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.
• After the war Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Maria acquired the land and facilities through two grants in 1948.
• The original Allan Hancock Field was established in 1927 at another location, between Jones Street to the north, Stowell Road to the south, Bradley Road to the east and Miller Street to the west.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• A 4,000-square-foot baggage claim facility opened in 2007.

Facts about Megève Aerodrome (MVV):

• The furthest airport from Megève Aerodrome (MVV) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Megève Aerodrome (meaning Megève Aerodrome is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,231 miles (19,683 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Because of Megève Aerodrome's high elevation of 4,830 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at MVV. Combined with a high temperature, this could make MVV a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Megève Aerodrome (MVV) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Megève Aerodrome (MVV) is Méribel Airport (MFX), which is located 29 miles (47 kilometers) S of MVV.
• In addition to being known as "Megève Aerodrome", another name for MVV is "Altiport de Megève".