Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE), Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,381 miles (or 7,051 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 José Joaquín de Olmedo 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 José Joaquín de Olmedo 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):

• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission known as "SILK PURSE." Boeing EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field as an airborne command post for the U.S.
• 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.
• 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 José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE):

• In addition to being known as "José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport", another name for GYE is "Aeropuerto Internacional José Joaquín de Olmedo".
• José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport was named "Best Airport in Latin America 2008 & 2009" by BusinessWeek and the second best in 2011.
• The furthest airport from José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) is Aek Godang Airport (AEG), which is nearly antipodal to José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (meaning José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Aek Godang Airport), and is located 12,366 miles (19,901 kilometers) away in Padang Sidempuan, Indonesia.
• The closest airport to José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) is General Ulpiano Paez Airport (SNC), which is located 76 miles (123 kilometers) W of GYE.
• Because of José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport's relatively low elevation of 19 feet, planes can take off or land at José Joaquín de Olmedo 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.
• The original project in 2003–2004 contemplated the construction of a 28,000 m2 international terminal and the continuing operation of the old terminal, which would be left to handle only domestic flights.
• José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) currently has only 1 runway.