Nonstop flight route between Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Cyril E. King Airport (STT), Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,669 miles (or 4,296 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 Cyril E. King 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 Cyril E. King 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 Cyril E. King Airport (STT):

• During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force 23rd Fighter Squadron deployed P-40 Warhawk fighters to the airport from March 1942 – May 1943.
• Cyril E. King Airport (STT) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Cyril E. King Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Cyril E. King 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.
• The furthest airport from Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Cyril E. King Airport (meaning Cyril E. King Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,260 miles (19,731 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
• The closest airport to Cyril E. King Airport (STT) is Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (SPB), which is located only 2 miles (3 kilometers) E of STT.
• The airport operates one main runway, 7,000 ft × 150 ft long.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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 the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• Portugal has explored contingencies in the event the United States military eventually abandons Lajes, including the possibility of entering an agreement with the People's Republic of China.