Nonstop flight route between Sioux City, Iowa, United States and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX), Sioux City, Iowa, United States and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,542 miles (or 5,700 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 Sioux Gateway 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 Sioux Gateway 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 Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX):

• The airport is home to the 185th Air Refueling Wing, an Air Mobility Command -gained unit of the Iowa Air National Guard, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, as well as Sioux City Air National Guard Base.
• In June 2011 work was completed on a $6.2 million remodeling of the 58-year-old terminal building.
• Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) has 2 runways.
• By the mid-1960s ADC was reducing its forces, and on April 1, 1966 the 31st AD was reassigned and the airport was turned over to the Air Force Reserve and Iowa Air National Guard for limited military use.
• In addition to being known as "Sioux Gateway Airport", another name for SUX is "Colonel Bud Day Field".
• The closest airport to Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) is Le Mars Municipal Airport (LRJ), which is located 28 miles (45 kilometers) NNE of SUX.
• The furthest airport from Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,641 miles (17,125 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The origin of the Lajes Field dates back to 1928, when Portuguese Army Lieutenant colonel Eduardo Gomes da Silva wrote a report on the possible construction of an airfield in the plainland of Lajes, for that branch's aviation service.
• 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".
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• The base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.