Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Eagle, Colorado (near Vail), United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado (near Vail), United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,120 miles (or 6,631 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 Eagle County Regional 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 Eagle County Regional 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):

• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• 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.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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.
• 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".

Facts about Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE):

• Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Eagle County Regional Airport's high elevation of 6,547 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at EGE. Combined with a high temperature, this could make EGE a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• There are several private charter companies that offer ground transportation service to Vail, Beaver Creek, and Aspen.
• The closest airport to Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is Aspen–Pitkin County Airport (ASE), which is located 29 miles (47 kilometers) S of EGE.
• The furthest airport from Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,946 miles (17,617 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Eagle County Regional Airport handled 218,105 passengers last year.