Nonstop flight route between Lajes, Azores, Portugal and San José, Costa Rica:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal and Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ), San José, Costa Rica would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,026 miles (or 6,479 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 Tobías Bolaños 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 Tobías Bolaños 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):

• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of TER.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• 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.
• Today, Lajes continues to support transiting aircraft.
• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• During World War II, the designation of the airfield was changed to Air Base No.4 and the Portuguese government expanded the runway, sending troops and equipment to Terceira, including Gloster Gladiator fighters.
• 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.

Facts about Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ):

• Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) is Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) (SJO), which is located only 5 miles (9 kilometers) WNW of SYQ.
• In addition to being known as "Tobías Bolaños International Airport", another name for SYQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Tobías Bolaños".
• The furthest airport from Tobías Bolaños International Airport (SYQ) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Tobías Bolaños International Airport (meaning Tobías Bolaños International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,269 miles (19,745 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.