Nonstop flight route between Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and Lajes, Azores, Portugal:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport (ZCL), Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and Lajes Air Base (TER), Lajes, Azores, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,493 miles (or 7,230 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 General Leobardo C. Ruiz 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 General Leobardo C. Ruiz 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 General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport (ZCL):

• The furthest airport from General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport (ZCL) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,513 miles (18,529 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport (ZCL) is Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport (AGU), which is located 86 miles (138 kilometers) SSE of ZCL.
• General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport (ZCL) has 2 runways.
• Because of General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport's high elevation of 7,141 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at ZCL. Combined with a high temperature, this could make ZCL a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport handled 259,677 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport", another name for ZCL is "Aeropuerto Internacional General Leobardo C. Ruiz".

Facts about Lajes Air Base (TER):

• Lajes Air Base (TER) currently has only 1 runway.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lajes supported the large airlift during the Gulf War.
• In the late 1950s, USAF air refueling/tanker aircraft were stationed at Lajes to provide inflight refueling for U.S.
• In 2009 Lajes provided rescue support of shipping lanes across the Atlantic, a safe haven for medical or mechanical emergency situations in aircraft crossing the Atlantic, and support for the USAF's continuing campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• 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.
• 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.
• Civilian operators may use Terceira Airport/Lajes Air Base after requesting a landing permit according to the rules inscribed in the AIP for Portugal, issued by the Portuguese Directorate of Civilian Aviation.
• 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 Portuguese Air Force continues to operate one SAR squadron Esq.