Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Mianyang, Sichuan, China:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (MIG), Mianyang, Sichuan, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,684 miles (or 10,756 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 Mianyang Nanjiao 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 Mianyang Nanjiao 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 closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• 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 provides support to 15,000 aircraft, including fighters from the US and 20 other allied nations each.
• 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.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for 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".
• 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.

Facts about Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (MIG):

• Mianyang Nanjiao Airport is an airport serving the city of Mianyang in Sichuan Province, China.
• In 2011 Mianyang Nanjiao Airport served 622,816 passengers, ranking 66th among China's airports.
• The furthest airport from Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (MIG) is Viña del Mar Airport (KNA), which is nearly antipodal to Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (meaning Mianyang Nanjiao Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Viña del Mar Airport), and is located 12,192 miles (19,621 kilometers) away in Viña del Mar, Chile.
• In addition to being known as "Mianyang Nanjiao Airport", other names for MIG include "绵阳南郊机场" and "Miányáng Nánjiāo Jīchǎng".
• Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (MIG) currently has only 1 runway.
• Opened on 28 April 2001, Mianyang Nanjiao is the second largest airport in Sichuan after Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
• The closest airport to Mianyang Nanjiao Airport (MIG) is Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), which is located 75 miles (121 kilometers) SW of MIG.
• Mianyang Nanjiao Airport handled 622,816 passengers last year.