Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Gaborone, Botswana:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(24°33'19"S by 25°55'5"E)
Distance from MER to GBE:
10,277.52 miles (16,540.02 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- GBE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about GBE
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to GBE
- List of Nearest Airports to GBE
- Map of Furthest Airports from GBE
- List of Furthest Airports from GBE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE), Gaborone, Botswana would travel a Great Circle distance of 10,278 miles (or 16,540 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 Castle Airport and Sir Seretse Khama International 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 Castle Airport and Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | MER / KMER |
| Airport Name: | Castle Airport |
| Location: | Atwater, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 191 feet (58 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MER |
| More Information: | MER Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GBE / FBSK |
| Airport Name: | Sir Seretse Khama International Airport |
| Location: | Gaborone, Botswana |
| GPS Coordinates: | 24°33'19"S by 25°55'5"E |
| Area Served: | Gaborone |
| Operator/Owner: | Civil Government |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3299 feet (1,006 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GBE |
| More Information: | GBE Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Because of Castle Airport's relatively low elevation of 191 feet, planes can take off or land at Castle 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE):
- Botswana Defence Force Air Wing VIP Flight Wing is based at the airport.
- On October 11, 1999, an Air Botswana pilot, Captain Chris Phatswe, commandeered a parked Aérospatiale ATR 42 aircraft A2-ABB without authorization in the early morning and took off.
- The closest airport to Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) is Lobatse Airport (LOQ), which is located 46 miles (74 kilometers) SSW of GBE.
- Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) is Hana Airport (HNM), which is nearly antipodal to Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (meaning Sir Seretse Khama International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Hana Airport), and is located 12,149 miles (19,552 kilometers) away in Hana, Hawaii, United States.
- Air Botswana plane at Khama Airport 2011
- Airport before expansion
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.26 miles (11.68 km) SSE | Merced Regional Airport (MCE) | Merced, California, United States |     |
| 2 | 27.12 miles (43.65 km) NW | Modesto City-County Airport (MOD) | Modesto, California, United States | |
| 3 | 27.51 miles (44.27 km) SW | Los Banos Municipal Airport (LSN) | Los Banos, California, United States | |
| 4 | 29.78 miles (47.92 km) W | NASA Crows Landing Airport (NRC) | Crows Landing, California, United States | |
| 5 | 36.91 miles (59.40 km) SE | Madera Municipal Airport (MAE) | Madera, California, United States | |
| 6 | 45.69 miles (73.53 km) N | Columbia Airport (COA) | Columbia, California, United States | |
| 7 | 51.03 miles (82.13 km) NW | Stockton Metropolitan Airport (SCK) | Stockton, California, United States | |
| 8 | 57.32 miles (92.24 km) SW | Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI) | Hollister, California, United States | |
| 9 | 60.88 miles (97.98 km) SE | Fresno Chandler Executive AirportChandler Municipal Airport (Old) (FCH) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 10 | 62.71 miles (100.91 km) SE | Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) | Fresno, California, United States | |
| 11 | 68.82 miles (110.76 km) W | Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 12 | 71.93 miles (115.77 km) WNW | Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) | Livermore, California, United States | |
| 13 | 73.96 miles (119.02 km) WSW | Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) | Watsonville, California, United States | |
| 14 | 74.75 miles (120.29 km) W | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 15 | 75.76 miles (121.93 km) SW | Salinas Municipal AirportSalinas Army Air Base (SNS) | Salinas, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,311.72 miles (18,204.41 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 11,301.64 miles (18,188.18 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,273.49 miles (18,142.87 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 4 | 11,260.93 miles (18,122.66 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 5 | 11,205.02 miles (18,032.69 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 11,196.39 miles (18,018.79 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 7 | 11,137.28 miles (17,923.67 km) SSE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,111.96 miles (17,882.92 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,011.03 miles (17,720.49 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,008.37 miles (17,716.22 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 10,993.21 miles (17,691.82 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 10,972.89 miles (17,659.11 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 10,963.56 miles (17,644.10 km) SSE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,945.21 miles (17,614.56 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,920.84 miles (17,575.35 km) SE | Belo sur Tsiribihina Airport (BMD) | Belo sur Tsiribihina, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 46.19 miles (74.33 km) SSW | Lobatse Airport (LOQ) | Lobatse, Botswana | |
| 2 | 76.68 miles (123.40 km) W | Jwaneng Airport (JWA) | Jwaneng, Botswana | |
| 3 | 89.62 miles (144.23 km) SSW | Mafikeng Airport (MBD) | Mmabatho, South Africa | |
| 4 | 95.25 miles (153.30 km) SE | Pilanesberg International Airport (NTY) | Pilanesberg, South Africa | |
| 5 | 157.73 miles (253.83 km) SE | Lanseria International Airport (HLA) | Lanseria, South Africa | |
| 6 | 163.01 miles (262.33 km) ESE | Wonderboom Airport (PRY) | Pretoria, South Africa | |
| 7 | 170.42 miles (274.27 km) SE | Grand Central Airport (GCJ) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 8 | 181.68 miles (292.39 km) SE | Rand Airport (QRA) | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
| 9 | 181.93 miles (292.80 km) SE | O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | |
| 10 | 204.90 miles (329.75 km) SE | Heidelberg Airport (HDB) | Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany | |
| 11 | 228.43 miles (367.63 km) ENE | Polokwane International Airport (PTG) | Polokwane, South Africa | |
| 12 | 253.79 miles (408.44 km) SW | Johan Pienaar Airport (KMH) | Kuruman, South Africa | |
| 13 | 254.68 miles (409.87 km) NNE | Francistown International Airport/Francistown Air Base (FRW) | Francistown, Botswana | |
| 14 | 264.92 miles (426.35 km) W | Hukuntsi Airport (HUK) | Hukuntsi, Botswana | |
| 15 | 301.93 miles (485.90 km) SSW | Kimberley Airport (KIM) | Kimberley, South Africa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,149.30 miles (19,552.35 km) NNE | Hana Airport (HNM) | Hana, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,143.15 miles (19,542.46 km) NNE | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,141.40 miles (19,539.64 km) NE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,138.72 miles (19,535.33 km) NE | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,133.33 miles (19,526.66 km) NE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,119.38 miles (19,504.21 km) NNE | Upolu Airport (UPP) | Hawi, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,118.53 miles (19,502.83 km) NE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,107.66 miles (19,485.34 km) NE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 12,106.22 miles (19,483.03 km) NNE | Waimea-Kohala Airport (MUE) | Kamuela, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 12,105.57 miles (19,481.98 km) NE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 12,105.57 miles (19,481.98 km) NE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 12,104.09 miles (19,479.60 km) NE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 12,098.05 miles (19,469.87 km) NE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 12,097.06 miles (19,468.28 km) N | Hilo International Airport (ITO) | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 12,094.63 miles (19,464.38 km) NNE | Pōhakuloa Training Area (BSF) | Camp Pohakuloa, Hawaii, United States | |