Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Jack Edwards Airport (GUF), Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,435 miles (or 5,529 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 Jack Edwards 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 Jack Edwards 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 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 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".
• Lajes Field was one of the two stopover and refueling bases for the first transatlantic crossing of non-rigid airships in 1944.
• 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• The resident Portuguese 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was deactivated on 30 November 2006.
• 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 base also supports other NATO and non-NATO armed forces assets crossing the Atlantic for transport, VIP, exercise, relief or humanitarian duties.
• During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Lajes Field also supported U.S.
• Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base, officially designated Air Base No.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Jack Edwards Airport (GUF):

• In addition to being known as "Jack Edwards Airport", another name for GUF is "JKA".
• The furthest airport from Jack Edwards Airport (GUF) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,153 miles (17,950 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• The closest airport to Jack Edwards Airport (GUF) is NOLF Barin (NHX), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNE of GUF.
• Jack Edwards Airport (GUF) has 2 runways.
• Jack Edwards Airport was originally an outlying field for Naval Air Station Pensacola.
• Because of Jack Edwards Airport's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Jack Edwards 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.