Nonstop flight route between Santa Maria, California, United States and Marrakech, Morocco:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States and Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK), Marrakech, Morocco would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,086 miles (or 9,794 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 Marrakesh Menara 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 Marrakesh Menara 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):

• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK):

• In addition to being known as "Marrakesh Menara Airport", other names for RAK include "Aéroport Marrakech Ménara" and "مطار مراكش المنارة".
• During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command as a hub for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.
• Marrakesh Menara Airport handled 3,373,475 passengers last year.
• Currently Menara Airport has formally two passenger terminals, but these are more or less combined to form one large terminal.
• The closest airport to Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Ouarzazate Airport (OZZ), which is located 81 miles (130 kilometers) SE of RAK.
• The furthest airport from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) is Kaitaia Airport (KAT), which is nearly antipodal to Marrakesh Menara Airport (meaning Marrakesh Menara Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Kaitaia Airport), and is located 12,186 miles (19,611 kilometers) away in Kaitaia, New Zealand.
• Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) currently has only 1 runway.