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DET to SMX: distance & flight time
Detroit (Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport) → Santa Maria (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field)
2,068 mi
3,328 km · 1,797 nm
4h 31m
estimated nonstop flight time
-3h
time difference · heading west
See live DET→SMX fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
2,068 miles nonstop takes roughly 4h 31m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 3-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DET — Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport · Detroit, United States
- SMX — Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field · Santa Maria, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near DET
- DTW · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport22 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport10 mi away
- MTC · Selfridge Air National Guard Base Airport17 mi away
- PTK · Oakland County International Airport27 mi away
Near SMX
- VBG · Vandenberg Air Force Base13 mi away
- LPC · Lompoc Airport16 mi away
- SBP · San Luis County Regional Airport26 mi away
- SQA · Santa Ynez Airport30 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DET from SMX?
The flight distance from Detroit (DET) to Santa Maria (SMX) is 2,068 miles (3,328 km, 1,797 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DET to SMX?
A nonstop flight takes about 4h 31m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from DET to SMX?
Nonstop service on DET–SMX depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 4h 31m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Detroit and Santa Maria?
Santa Maria is 3 hours behind Detroit.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DET to SMX?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DET–SMX that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some DET to SMX fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain DET–SMX tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.