Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Miami, Florida, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF), Miami, Florida, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,183 miles (or 5,122 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 Opa-locka Executive 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 Opa-locka Executive 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 August 2006, Portuguese news agencies reported that both governments were in discussions for a new agreement that could allow the use of Lajes for the training of a permanent F-22 Raptor squadron.
• 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".
• 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.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.
• Another important Cold War operation at Lajes was the U.S.

Facts about Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF):

• The furthest airport from Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,576 miles (18,630 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
• Some of the 9/11 hijackers trained at the airport.
• Because of Opa-locka Executive Airport's relatively low elevation of 8 feet, planes can take off or land at Opa-locka Executive 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 FAA-contract control tower is manned from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
• Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Opa-locka Executive Airport (OPF) is North Perry Airport (HWO), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) NNE of OPF.
• In 1928 Curtiss made a separate donation of land two miles south of Opa-locka for Miami's first Municipal Airport.
• In 1962 the remainder of the former Naval Air Station Miami property, except for a portion reserved for the United States Coast Guard, was transferred to Dade County, and became Opa-locka Airport.