Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Iquique, Chile:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(20°32'7"S by 70°10'53"W)
Distance from MER to IQQ:
5,171.03 miles (8,321.94 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- IQQ Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about IQQ
- 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 IQQ
- List of Nearest Airports to IQQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from IQQ
- List of Furthest Airports from IQQ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ), Iquique, Chile would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,171 miles (or 8,322 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 Diego Aracena 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 Diego Aracena 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: | IQQ / SCDA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Iquique, Chile |
| GPS Coordinates: | 20°32'7"S by 70°10'53"W |
| Area Served: | Iquique, Chile |
| Operator/Owner: | A-port Operaciones S.A. |
| Airport Type: | Public / Military |
| Elevation: | 154 feet (47 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from IQQ |
| More Information: | IQQ Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
- 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.
- It was estimated that the cost to relocate the 129 RQW to Castle, to include associated military construction costs, could be recouped in seven years.
Facts about Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ):
- Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Diego Aracena International Airport's relatively low elevation of 154 feet, planes can take off or land at Diego Aracena International 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.
- In addition to being known as "Diego Aracena International Airport", another name for IQQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Diego Aracena".
- The furthest airport from Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ) is Zhanjiang Airport (ZHA), which is nearly antipodal to Diego Aracena International Airport (meaning Diego Aracena International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Zhanjiang Airport), and is located 12,378 miles (19,921 kilometers) away in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China.
- The closest airport to Diego Aracena International Airport (IQQ) is Carolina Airport (CLN), which is located 150 miles (241 kilometers) S of IQQ.
| 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 | 149.97 miles (241.35 km) S | Carolina Airport (CLN) | Carolina, Maranhão, Brazil | |
| 2 | 151.45 miles (243.74 km) N | Chacalluta International Airport (ACM) | Arica, Amazonas, Colombia | |
| 3 | 151.45 miles (243.74 km) N | Chacalluta International Airport (ARI) | Arica, Chile | |
| 4 | 158.05 miles (254.36 km) SSE | El Loa Airport (CJC) | Calama, Antofagasta Region, Chile | |
| 5 | 201.71 miles (324.62 km) S | Andrés Sabella Gálvez International Airport (former Cerro Moreno International Airport) (ANF) | Antofagasta, Chile | |
| 6 | 210.40 miles (338.61 km) NNW | Ilo Airport (ILQ) | Ilo, Moquegua Region, Peru | |
| 7 | 216.19 miles (347.92 km) E | Uyuni Joya Andina Airport (UYU) | Uyuni, Potosí, Bolivia | |
| 8 | 304.00 miles (489.24 km) NNW | Rodríguez Ballón International Airport (AQP) | Arequipa, Peru | |
| 9 | 306.91 miles (493.93 km) NNE | El Alto International Airport (LPB) | La Paz, Bolivia | |
| 10 | 335.18 miles (539.41 km) ENE | Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport (SRE) | Sucre, Bolivia | |
| 11 | 338.73 miles (545.13 km) NE | Jorge Wilstermann International Airport (CBB) | Cochabamba, Bolivia | |
| 12 | 350.19 miles (563.58 km) N | Inca Manco Cápac International Airport (JUL) | Juliaca, Peru | |
| 13 | 360.32 miles (579.87 km) ESE | Capitán Oriel Lea Plaza International Airport (TJA) | Tarija, Bolivia | |
| 14 | 399.94 miles (643.64 km) S | Ricardo García Posada Airport El Salvador Bajo Airport (ESR) | El Salvador, Chile | |
| 15 | 401.45 miles (646.07 km) S | Chañaral Airport (CNR) | Chañaral, Atacama Region, Chile | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,378.20 miles (19,920.74 km) NW | Zhanjiang Airport (ZHA) | Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China | |
| 2 | 12,378.11 miles (19,920.58 km) NW | Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK) | Haikou, Hainan, China | |
| 3 | 12,359.61 miles (19,890.81 km) NNE | Beihai Fucheng Airport (BHY) | Beihai, Guangxi, China | |
| 4 | 12,280.30 miles (19,763.18 km) N | Sanya Phoenix International Airport (SYX) | Sanya, Hainan, China | |
| 5 | 12,258.75 miles (19,728.50 km) NE | Nanning Wuxu International Airport (NNG) | Nanning, Guangxi, China | |
| 6 | 12,235.84 miles (19,691.63 km) E | Cat Bi International Airport (HPH) | Haiphong, Vietnam | |
| 7 | 12,215.15 miles (19,658.34 km) NNW | Wuzhou Changzhoudao Airport (WUZ) | Wuzhou, Guangxi, China | |
| 8 | 12,186.20 miles (19,611.74 km) WNW | Zhuhai Jinwan Airport (ZUH) | Zhuhai, Guangdong, China | |
| 9 | 12,181.61 miles (19,604.35 km) N | Liuzhou Bailian Airport (LZH) | Liuzhou, Guangxi, China | |
| 10 | 12,173.55 miles (19,591.37 km) E | Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) | Hanoi, Vietnam | |
| 11 | 12,169.63 miles (19,585.07 km) WNW | Macau International Airport (MFM) | Taipa, Macau | |
| 12 | 12,163.88 miles (19,575.81 km) NW | Foshan Shadi Airport (FUO) | Foshan, Guangdong, China | |
| 13 | 12,151.34 miles (19,555.64 km) E | Tho Xuan Airport (THD) | Thanh Hoa, Vietnam | |
| 14 | 12,150.65 miles (19,554.52 km) NE | Baise Bama Airport (AEB) | Baise, Guangxi, China | |
| 15 | 12,146.27 miles (19,547.48 km) WNW | Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) | Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong | |