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SMX to STK: distance & flight time
Santa Maria (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field) → Sterling (Sterling Municipal Airport)
1,017 mi
1,636 km · 883 nm
2h 41m
estimated nonstop flight time
+1h
time difference · heading northeast
See live SMX→STK fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,017 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 41m gate to gate, flying northeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- SMX — Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field · Santa Maria, United States
- STK — Sterling Municipal Airport · Sterling, 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 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
Near STK
- AKO · Colorado Plains Regional Airport30 mi away
- SNY · Sidney Municipal-Lloyd W Carr Field37 mi away
- DEN · Denver International Airport91 mi away
- GXY · Greeley–Weld County Airport73 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is SMX from STK?
The flight distance from Santa Maria (SMX) to Sterling (STK) is 1,017 miles (1,636 km, 883 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMX to STK?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 41m 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 SMX to STK?
Nonstop service on SMX–STK 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 2h 41m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Santa Maria and Sterling?
Sterling is 1 hour ahead of Santa Maria.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMX to STK?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMX–STK that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some SMX to STK fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain SMX–STK 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.