Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Niuafo'ou, Tonga:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(15°34'15"S by 175°37'50"W)
Distance from MER to NFO:
5,113.91 miles (8,230.03 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- NFO Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about NFO
- 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 NFO
- List of Nearest Airports to NFO
- Map of Furthest Airports from NFO
- List of Furthest Airports from NFO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Mata'aho Airport (NFO), Niuafo'ou, Tonga would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,114 miles (or 8,230 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 Mata'aho 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 Mata'aho 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: | NFO / NFTO |
| Airport Name: | Mata'aho Airport |
| Location: | Niuafo'ou, Tonga |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°34'15"S by 175°37'50"W |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| View all routes: | Routes from NFO |
| More Information: | NFO Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- In 2004, recommendations were made to relocate the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard and its associated HC-130, MC-130 and HH-60 aircraft from Moffett Federal Airfield to the former Castle Air Force Base, now Castle Airport.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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 furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- With its central location in the San Joaquin Valley, on the route of the proposed California High-Speed Rail system, and with a large, underdeveloped site, Castle Airport has been submitted as a possible location for the central maintenance facility for the system.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
Facts about Mata'aho Airport (NFO):
- The closest airport to Mata'aho Airport (NFO) is Wallis Island (WLS), which is located 164 miles (263 kilometers) NNW of NFO.
- The furthest airport from Mata'aho Airport (NFO) is Tahoua Airport (THZ), which is nearly antipodal to Mata'aho Airport (meaning Mata'aho Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Tahoua Airport), and is located 12,360 miles (19,892 kilometers) away in Tahoua, Niger.
| 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 | 163.69 miles (263.43 km) NNW | Wallis Island (WLS) | Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 2 | 184.40 miles (296.77 km) WNW | Aéroport de Futuna - Pointe-Vele Pointe Vele Airport (FUT) | Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna Islands | |
| 3 | 246.40 miles (396.54 km) NE | Asau Airport (AAU) | Asau, Samoa | |
| 4 | 258.42 miles (415.89 km) ENE | Maota (Salelologa) Airport (MXS) | Maota, Samoa | |
| 5 | 270.34 miles (435.06 km) ENE | Faleolo International Airport (APW) | Apia, Upolu Island, Samoa | |
| 6 | 285.85 miles (460.04 km) ENE | Fagali'i Airport (FGI) | Apia, Samoa | |
| 7 | 287.85 miles (463.24 km) WSW | Cicia Airport (ICI) | Cicia, Fiji | |
| 8 | 302.72 miles (487.18 km) SSE | Lifuka Island Airport (HPA) | Lifuka, Ha'apai, Tonga | |
| 9 | 339.68 miles (546.66 km) W | Labasa Airport (LBS) | Labasa, Fiji | |
| 10 | 341.03 miles (548.83 km) ENE | Pago Pago International Airport (PPG) | Pago Pago, American Samoa | |
| 11 | 349.97 miles (563.23 km) WSW | Koro Airport (KXF) | Koro Island, Fiji | |
| 12 | 357.73 miles (575.71 km) SW | Moala Airport (MFJ) | Moala, Moala Islands, Fiji | |
| 13 | 393.03 miles (632.51 km) S | Fuaʻamotu International Airport (TBU) | Nukuʻalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga | |
| 14 | 399.73 miles (643.30 km) WSW | Levuka Airfield (LEV) | Bureta, Ovalau Island, Fiji | |
| 15 | 409.39 miles (658.85 km) ENE | Ofu Airport (OFU) | Ofu, American Samoa | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,360.39 miles (19,892.07 km) NW | Tahoua Airport (THZ) | Tahoua, Niger | |
| 2 | 12,230.72 miles (19,683.39 km) NE | Diori Hamani International Airport (NIM) | Niamey, Niger | |
| 3 | 12,204.15 miles (19,640.62 km) NW | Maradi Airport (MFQ) | Maradi, Niger | |
| 4 | 12,177.41 miles (19,597.59 km) WNW | Mano Dayak International Airport (AJY) | Agadez, Niger | |
| 5 | 12,148.33 miles (19,550.79 km) NE | Kantchari Airport (XKA) | Kantchari, Burkina Faso | |
| 6 | 12,146.55 miles (19,547.93 km) NNW | In Guezzam Airport (INF) | In Guezzam, Algeria | |
| 7 | 12,143.21 miles (19,542.55 km) E | Tambao Airport (TMQ) | Tambao, Burkina Faso | |
| 8 | 12,143.11 miles (19,542.39 km) E | Gao International Airport (GAQ) | Gao, Mali | |
| 9 | 12,139.82 miles (19,537.10 km) ENE | Sebba Airport (XSE) | Sebba, Burkina Faso | |
| 10 | 12,139.49 miles (19,536.57 km) NW | Arlit Airport (RLT) | Arlit, Niger | |
| 11 | 12,138.66 miles (19,535.22 km) NE | Diapaga Airport (DIP) | Diapaga, Burkina Faso | |
| 12 | 12,121.89 miles (19,508.25 km) ENE | Dori Airport (DOR) | Dori, Burkina Faso | |
| 13 | 12,121.15 miles (19,507.05 km) ENE | Gorom Gorom Airport (XGG) | Gorom Gorom, Burkina Faso | |
| 14 | 12,116.27 miles (19,499.20 km) NNE | Kandi Airport (KDC) | Kandi, Benin | |
| 15 | 12,104.44 miles (19,480.17 km) WNW | Zinder Airport (ZND) | Zinder, Niger | |