Nonstop flight route between Valence, France and Santa Maria, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E)
Arrival Airport:
(34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W)
Distance from VAF to SMX:
5,951.77 miles (9,578.43 km)
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- About this route
- VAF Airport Information
- SMX Airport Information
- Facts about VAF
- Facts about SMX
- Map of Nearest Airports to VAF
- List of Nearest Airports to VAF
- Map of Furthest Airports from VAF
- List of Furthest Airports from VAF
- Map of Nearest Airports to SMX
- List of Nearest Airports to SMX
- Map of Furthest Airports from SMX
- List of Furthest Airports from SMX
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF), Valence, France and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,952 miles (or 9,578 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Santa Maria Public 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 Valence - Chabeuil Airport and Santa Maria Public Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | VAF / LFLU |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Valence, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°54'56"N by 4°58'6"E |
| Area Served: | Valence, Drôme, France |
| Operator/Owner: | Department of Drôme |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 525 feet (160 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 3 |
| View all routes: | Routes from VAF |
| More Information: | VAF Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SMX / KSMX |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Santa Maria, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°53'56"N by 120°27'26"W |
| Area Served: | Santa Maria, California |
| Operator/Owner: | Santa Maria Public Airport District |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 261 feet (80 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SMX |
| More Information: | SMX Maps & Info |
Facts about Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF):
- The airport was a pre-World War II French Air Force airfield.
- After the forceful occupation of Vichy France in November 1942 as a result of Case Anton Wehrmacht units moved into the Valence area and the airport came under the control of the Luftwaffe.
- Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) has 3 runways.
- The closest airport to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB), which is located 36 miles (57 kilometers) NNE of VAF.
- In addition to being known as "Valence - Chabeuil Airport", other names for VAF include "Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Y-23" and "Aéroport de Valence - Chabeuil".
- The furthest airport from Valence - Chabeuil Airport (VAF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Valence - Chabeuil Airport (meaning Valence - Chabeuil Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,333 miles (19,848 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- Because of Valence - Chabeuil Airport's relatively low elevation of 525 feet, planes can take off or land at Valence - Chabeuil 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.
Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):
- During its use by the military Santa Maria AAF also controlled Estrella Army Airfield, near Paso Robles as an auxiliary airfield to support the pilot training activity.
- Allegiant Air has expanded flights between Las Vegas and Santa Maria with four nonstops per week each way.
- A runway extension opened on May 3, 2012, from 6,304 ft.
- Besides the current Allegiant jet service, SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express via a code sharing agreement with United Airlines flies Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops and sometimes Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jet nonstop to Los Angeles that served the airport for many years.
- The furthest airport from Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,466 miles (18,453 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
- The closest airport to Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) is Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) SSW of SMX.
- Because of Santa Maria Public Airport's relatively low elevation of 261 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Maria Public 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 "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
- Other enhancements include a new passenger terminal holding room that opened February 2008.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 35.57 miles (57.24 km) NNE | Grenoble–Isère Airport (GNB) | Grenoble, France |     |
| 2 | 53.81 miles (86.60 km) S | Orange-Caritat Air Base (BA 115) (XOG) | Orange, France | |
| 3 | 54.17 miles (87.18 km) NW | Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon Airport (EBU) | Saint-Étienne / Bouthéon, France | |
| 4 | 55.82 miles (89.84 km) ENE | Alpe d'Huez Airport (AHZ) | Alpe d'Huez, France | |
| 5 | 56.23 miles (90.50 km) N | Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) | Lyon, France | |
| 6 | 56.25 miles (90.53 km) N | Lyon–Bron Airport (LYN) | Lyon, France | |
| 7 | 59.97 miles (96.51 km) WNW | Le Puy - Loudes Airport (LPY) | Le Puy-en-Velay / Loudes, Haute-Loire, France | |
| 8 | 66.88 miles (107.64 km) NE | Chambéry Airport (CMF) | Chambéry, France | |
| 9 | 69.79 miles (112.31 km) S | Avignon - Caumont Airport (AVN) | Avignon, France | |
| 10 | 84.54 miles (136.05 km) SSW | Nîmes-Alès-Camargue-Cévennes Airport (FNI) | Nîmes-Arles-Camargue, France | |
| 11 | 85.43 miles (137.49 km) ENE | Méribel Airport (MFX) | Meribel, France | |
| 12 | 87.73 miles (141.18 km) ENE | Courchevel Airport (CVF) | Courchevel, France | |
| 13 | 88.51 miles (142.45 km) ESE | Barcelonnette - Saint-Pons Airport (BAE) | Barcelonnette / Saint-Pons, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France | |
| 14 | 90.49 miles (145.63 km) N | Bourg - Ceyzériat Airport (XBK) | Bourg-en-Bresse, France | |
| 15 | 96.13 miles (154.70 km) S | Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (QIE) | Istres, France | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,332.90 miles (19,847.83 km) SE | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,892.27 miles (19,138.71 km) ESE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,877.44 miles (19,114.84 km) SE | Hawke's Bay Airport (NPE) | Napier, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,874.85 miles (19,110.67 km) SE | Gisborne Airport (GIS) | Gisborne, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,867.99 miles (19,099.63 km) ESE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,865.64 miles (19,095.85 km) ESE | Palmerston North Airport (PMR) | Palmerston North, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,861.33 miles (19,088.91 km) ESE | Kapiti Coast Airport (PPQ) | Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,843.83 miles (19,060.76 km) ESE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,831.32 miles (19,040.62 km) ESE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,825.78 miles (19,031.70 km) ESE | Wanganui Airport (WAG) | Wanganui, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,813.61 miles (19,012.12 km) E | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,811.96 miles (19,009.46 km) SE | Taupo AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Taupō (TUO) | Taupo, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,798.91 miles (18,988.46 km) SE | Whakatane Airport (WHK) | Whakatane, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,794.44 miles (18,981.27 km) ESE | Nelson AirportTe Papa Waka Rererangi o Whakatū (NSN) | Nelson, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,788.30 miles (18,971.38 km) SE | Rotorua International Airport (ROT) | Rotorua, New Zealand | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 13.10 miles (21.08 km) SSW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 2 | 16.13 miles (25.95 km) S | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 3 | 25.58 miles (41.17 km) NNW | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.61 miles (47.66 km) SE | Santa Ynez Airport (SQA) | Santa Ynez, California, United States | |
| 5 | 33.64 miles (54.14 km) NNW | O'Sullivan Army Heliport (CSL) | Camp San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| 6 | 47.93 miles (77.14 km) SE | Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 7 | 54.32 miles (87.42 km) N | Paso Robles Municipal AirportEstrella Army Airfield (PRB) | Paso Robles, California, United States | |
| 8 | 65.32 miles (105.13 km) NNW | Roberts Army Heliport (SYL) | Camp Roberts, San Luis Obispo County, California, United States | |
| 9 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) SSE | Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 10 | 82.86 miles (133.35 km) ENE | Shafter Airport (MIT) | Shafter, California, United States | |
| 11 | 85.96 miles (138.33 km) SE | Oxnard Airport (OXR) | Oxnard, California, United States | |
| 12 | 87.27 miles (140.45 km) ENE | Meadows Field (BFL) | Bakersfield, California, United States | |
| 13 | 87.83 miles (141.35 km) N | New Coalinga Municipal Airport (CLG) | Coalinga, California, United States | |
| 14 | 88.05 miles (141.70 km) ESE | Santa Paula Airport (SZP) | Santa Paula, California, United States | |
| 15 | 93.18 miles (149.96 km) SE | Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) | Point Mugu, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,466.02 miles (18,452.72 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 2 | 11,438.42 miles (18,408.31 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 3 | 11,430.70 miles (18,395.89 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,422.70 miles (18,383.00 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,364.97 miles (18,290.10 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,305.52 miles (18,194.43 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,272.20 miles (18,140.80 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,239.97 miles (18,088.94 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,125.51 miles (17,904.74 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,119.83 miles (17,895.59 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,114.82 miles (17,887.53 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,101.77 miles (17,866.53 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,101.17 miles (17,865.56 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,071.72 miles (17,818.17 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,068.20 miles (17,812.50 km) SSE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |