Nonstop flight route between Ko Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Samui International Airport (USM), Ko Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,679 miles (or 12,358 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 Samui International Airport and Lajes Air Base, 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 Samui International Airport and Lajes Air Base. 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 Samui International Airport (USM):

• Because of Samui International Airport's relatively low elevation of 64 feet, planes can take off or land at Samui 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.
• In addition to being known as "Samui International Airport", another name for USM is "ท่าอากาศยานสมุย".
• The furthest airport from Samui International Airport (USM) is Teniente FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales Airport (CHM), which is nearly antipodal to Samui International Airport (meaning Samui International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Teniente FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales Airport), and is located 12,337 miles (19,854 kilometers) away in Chimbote, Ancash Region, Peru.
• Samui International Airport (USM) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Samui International Airport (USM) is Surat Thani International Airport (URT), which is located 69 miles (112 kilometers) WSW of USM.

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• 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.
• Recently, in August 2010, Portuguese news agencies advised for the termination of the F-22 Raptor plan to use Lajes as a platform for DACT training over the Atlantic Ocean.
• 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.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• The Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Lajes Air Base (TER) is Graciosa Airport (GRW), which is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) WNW of 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.