Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Guadalajara, Mexico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL), Guadalajara, Mexico would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,618 miles (or 7,431 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 Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 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 Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 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 base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• By 1943, the British and American armed forces were allowed basing rights in Portugal, and the Royal Air Force took over Lajes Field as RAF Station Lajes.
• In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force EICAP was transferred to Lajes, operating Douglas C-47, Douglas C-54 and later CASA C-212 Aviocar.
• On 14 December 2012 it was announced that personnel at Lajes Field will be reduced in 2014 with a reduction of 400 military personnel and 500 family members.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• 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 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.

Facts about Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL):

• Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL) has 2 runways.
• Guadalajara's International Airport is composed of two runways and two terminals.
• PGAL reported that the airport will be expanded and remodeled.
• In addition to being known as "Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport", another name for GDL is "Aeropuerto Internacional Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla".
• The furthest airport from Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,571 miles (18,621 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport (GDL) is Licenciado Miguel de la Madrid Airport (CLQ), which is located 88 miles (141 kilometers) SSW of GDL.
• Because of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport's high elevation of 5,016 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GDL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GDL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• The airport is being renovated and expanded under a project that will allow it to double its operating capacity by 2007.