Nonstop flight route between Sainte-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and Santa Maria, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), Sainte-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX), Santa Maria, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,645 miles (or 4,257 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 Québec City Jean Lesage International 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 Québec City Jean Lesage International 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:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB):

• In addition to being known as "Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport", other names for YQB include "Aéroport international Jean-Lesage de Québec" and "Jean Lesage International Airport".
• Because of Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport's relatively low elevation of 244 feet, planes can take off or land at Québec City Jean Lesage 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.
• The furthest airport from Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) is Albany Airport (ALH), which is located 11,489 miles (18,490 kilometers) away in Albany, Western Australia, Australia.
• Based on the passenger figures for 2009 and 2010, it became clear that the terminal building would reach its design capacity by 2012.
• In 2010, 2011 and 2013, the airport was voted Best Regional Airport in North America by Airports Council International's Airport Service Quality program.
• Public transportation to the airport a few times a day is provided by RTC bus 78.
• On July 4, 2011, work began on the second phase of the airport expansion, which will last until 2015.
• First known as the Aéroport de l'Ancienne Lorette, then the Aéroport de Sainte-Foy, and later the Aéroport de Québec, it was renamed to Aéroport international Jean-Lesage in 1993, in honour of the former Premier of Quebec, Jean Lesage.
• The closest airport to Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) is Valcartier (W/C J.H.L. (Joe) Lecomte) Heliport (YOY), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) NW of YQB.
• Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) has 2 runways.

Facts about Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX):

• Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) has 2 runways.
• A 4,000-square-foot baggage claim facility opened in 2007.
• In addition to being known as "Santa Maria Public Airport", another name for SMX is "Capt. G. Allan Hancock FieldSanta Maria Army Airfield".
• 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.
• 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.
• The airport was built by the United States Army during World War II, known as Santa Maria Army Air Field.
• At one point during the early 1980's Swift Aire Lines, which was based at the nearby San Luis Obispo Airport, was the only airline flying nonstop between Santa Maria and Los Angeles, primarily with Fokker F27 Friendship turboprops which the carrier had purchased new from the manufacturer.
• 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.