Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Panama City, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), Panama City, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,333 miles (or 5,365 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 Lajes Air Base and Northwest Florida Beaches International 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 Lajes Air Base and Northwest Florida Beaches International 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 Lajes Air Base (TER):

• The civilian terminal also plays an important role in support of passenger and cargo airliners, executive, corporate and private jets flying to the island or beyond as the central location in the Azores group of islands makes it an ideal spot for refuelling or stopover.
• 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".
• 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.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1980, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Terceira Island.
• 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.
• Despite NATO and non-NATO fighter and transport planes which continue to use Lajes on a regular basis, the US DoD movements are now at an all time low.

Facts about Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP):

• The relocation of the airport was controversial in Bay County.
• Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport handled 85,600 passengers last year.
• The closest airport to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) is Panama City–Bay County International Airport (PFN), which is located only 12 miles (20 kilometers) SSE of ECP.
• General aviation is handled at the general aviation facility south of the main passenger terminal.
• Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) currently has only 1 runway.
• Runway 16/34 is the only runway.
• The furthest airport from Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,218 miles (18,054 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport's relatively low elevation of 68 feet, planes can take off or land at Northwest Florida Beaches International 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.