2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Helpful, friendly staff and clean toilets.”
Susan Smith5★ on Google
Airports / Portugal / SMA
Medium airport · SMA
Santa Maria Airport.
Vila do Porto, Portugal · 308 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
251 ratings
0
Operators based
308
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Vila do Porto, PortugalELEV 308 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.2
Google rating
251
Google reviews
ratings on Google
308
Field elevation
feet above sea level
53
Nearest alternate
nm to PDL
Field standing
53 nm
To the nearest alternate
João Paulo II Airport (PDL).
Overview
Santa Maria Airport (LPAZ / SMA) sits in Vila do Porto, Portugal, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. The airport sits 308 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into SMA for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are João Paulo II Airport (PDL, 53 nm), Lajes Airport (TER, 141 nm), and São Jorge Airport (SJZ, 175 nm). With a single 10,000-foot paved runway, SMA can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from SMA depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Vila do Porto.
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What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Helpful, friendly staff and clean toilets.”
Susan Smith5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Santa Maria Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
LPAZ
IATA
SMA
FAA / Local
LPAZ
Elevation
308 ft
Coordinates
36.9714° N · 25.1706° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Portugal fields
state range 5–2,241 ft
At 308 ft, SMA sits higher than 52% of the 31 Portugal fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 10,000 ft
- 18/3610,000 ft × 197 ftConcreteLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 10,000 ft
SMA's 10,000 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 53nmPDLJoão Paulo II AirportPonta Delgada
- 141nmTERLajes AirportPraia da Vitória
- 175nmSJZSão Jorge AirportVelas
- 182nmPIXPico AirportPico Island
- 186nmGRWGraciosa AirportSanta Cruz da Graciosa
- 192nmHORHorta AirportHorta
Location
Open the full mapLPAZ · Santa Maria Airport · Vila do Porto, Portugal
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SMA on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 2,129 nm | 5h 21m |
| New York (TEB) | 2,266 nm | 5h 40m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 2,444 nm | 6h 5m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 2,830 nm | 6h 59m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 2,858 nm | 7h 3m |
| Miami (MIA) | 2,864 nm | 7h 4m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 2,913 nm | 7h 10m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 3,453 nm | 8h 26m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SMA?
- Santa Maria Airport's longest paved runway is 10,000 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SMA?
- Santa Maria Airport has one runway; the longest measures 10,000 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to SMA?
- The closest alternate is João Paulo II Airport (PDL), about 53 nm away, followed by Lajes Airport (TER) at 141 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SMA to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 5h 21m (2,129 nm), New York about 5h 40m (2,266 nm), Washington DC about 6h 5m (2,444 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.