Nonstop flight route between Springfield, Illinois, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI), Springfield, Illinois, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,276 miles (or 5,272 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and Lajes Air Base, 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport and Lajes Air Base. 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 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI):

• The airport was served by Ozark Airlines with Douglas DC-9s and Fairchild Hiller FH-227s to St.
• The furthest airport from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,013 miles (17,724 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport's relatively low elevation of 598 feet, planes can take off or land at Abraham Lincoln Capital 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.
• Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) has 3 runways.
• The airport is home to Capital Airport Air National Guard Station, a 91-acre facility on land leased from the Springfield Airport Authority.
• Allegiant Air is the only airline with mainline jets, McDonnell Douglas MD-80s.
• The closest airport to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is Decatur Airport (DEC), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) E of SPI.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• The furthest airport from Lajes Air Base (TER) is Merimbula Airport (MIM), which is nearly antipodal to Lajes Air Base (meaning Lajes Air Base is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Merimbula Airport), and is located 12,229 miles (19,680 kilometers) away in Merimbula, New South Wales, Australia.
• In August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Lajes Air Base", other names for TER include "Base Aérea das Lajes", "Base Aérea Nº 4" and "Aeroporto das Lajes".
• Because of Lajes Air Base's relatively low elevation of 180 feet, planes can take off or land at Lajes Air Base 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 1947, the Portuguese Esquadra 41 started to operate from Lajes, equipped with Boeing SB-17, Grumman HU-16 Albatross, Douglas C-54 Skymaster and, later Sikorsky H-19.