Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Opelousas, Louisiana, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from SMX to OPL:
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- About this route
- SMX Airport Information
- OPL Airport Information
- Facts about SMX
- Facts about OPL
- 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 OPL
- List of Nearest Airports to OPL
- Map of Furthest Airports from OPL
- List of Furthest Airports from OPL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and St. Landry Parish Airport (OPL), Opelousas, Louisiana, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,670 miles (or 2,687 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 relatively short distance between Santa Maria Public Airport and St. Landry Parish Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
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| 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: | OPL / KOPL |
| Airport Names: |
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| Location: | Opelousas, Louisiana, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 30°33'29"N by 92°5'57"W |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 75 feet (23 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from OPL |
| More Information: | OPL Maps & Info |
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- 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.
- 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 first airline to serve Santa Maria was Southwest Airways operating Douglas DC-3 prop aircraft.
- 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.
- 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".
- 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.
Facts about St. Landry Parish Airport (OPL):
- The closest airport to St. Landry Parish Airport (OPL) is Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT), which is located 25 miles (41 kilometers) SSE of OPL.
- The furthest airport from St. Landry Parish Airport (OPL) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,045 miles (17,775 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- St. Landry Parish Airport (OPL) has 2 runways.
- In addition to being known as "St. Landry Parish Airport", another name for OPL is "Ahart Field".
- Because of St. Landry Parish Airport's relatively low elevation of 75 feet, planes can take off or land at St. Landry Parish 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.
