Nonstop flight route between Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(15°14'47"S by 146°37'13"W)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from AXR to MER:
4,011.21 miles (6,455.40 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- AXR Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about AXR
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to AXR
- List of Nearest Airports to AXR
- Map of Furthest Airports from AXR
- List of Furthest Airports from AXR
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Arutua Airport (AXR), Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,011 miles (or 6,455 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 Arutua Airport and Castle 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 Arutua Airport and Castle Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | AXR / NTGU |
| Airport Name: | Arutua Airport |
| Location: | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°14'47"S by 146°37'13"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from AXR |
| More Information: | AXR Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Arutua Airport (AXR):
- The furthest airport from Arutua Airport (AXR) is Khartoum International Airport (KRT), which is nearly antipodal to Arutua Airport (meaning Arutua Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Khartoum International Airport), and is located 12,377 miles (19,919 kilometers) away in Khartoum, Sudan.
- The closest airport to Arutua Airport (AXR) is Apataki Airport (APK), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) SSE of AXR.
Facts about Castle Airport (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 is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 26.40 miles (42.48 km) SSE | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia |     |
| 2 | 61.53 miles (99.02 km) NNE | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 66.86 miles (107.60 km) NNE | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 84.99 miles (136.77 km) SE | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 141.91 miles (228.38 km) W | Mataiva Airport (MVT) | Mataiva, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 162.79 miles (261.99 km) SSE | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 217.76 miles (350.45 km) ESE | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 254.52 miles (409.60 km) SW | Fa'a'ā International Airport (PPT) | Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 259.61 miles (417.79 km) SW | Moorea Airport (MOZ) | Moorea, Windward Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 281.16 miles (452.48 km) ESE | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 308.84 miles (497.04 km) WSW | Huahine – Fare Airport (HUH) | Huahine, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 351.00 miles (564.88 km) WSW | Bora Bora Airport (BOB) | Bora Bora, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 382.54 miles (615.64 km) WSW | Maupiti Airport (MAU) | Maupiti, Leeward Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 383.70 miles (617.51 km) E | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 423.35 miles (681.31 km) ESE | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,376.86 miles (19,918.57 km) ENE | Khartoum International Airport (KRT) | Khartoum, Sudan | |
| 2 | 12,268.66 miles (19,744.45 km) W | Khashm El Girba Airport (GBU) | Khashm El Girba, Sudan | |
| 3 | 12,260.78 miles (19,731.77 km) NNW | Atbara Airport (ATB) | Atbara, Sudan | |
| 4 | 12,240.05 miles (19,698.40 km) W | Kassala Airport (KSL) | Kassala, Sudan | |
| 5 | 12,217.82 miles (19,662.62 km) NNW | Galegu Airport (DNX) | Dinder, Sudan | |
| 6 | 12,192.97 miles (19,622.63 km) NNE | Merowe Airport (MWE) | Merowe, Sudan | |
| 7 | 12,186.70 miles (19,612.55 km) NE | El Debba Airport (EDB) | El Debba (Al Dabbah), Sudan | |
| 8 | 12,185.03 miles (19,609.86 km) NE | Ad-Dabbah Airport (AAD) | Al Dabbah, Sudan | |
| 9 | 12,182.98 miles (19,606.55 km) WNW | Humera Airport (HUE) | Humera, Ethiopia | |
| 10 | 12,181.16 miles (19,603.62 km) NE | El Obeid Airport (EBD) | El Obeid, Sudan | |
| 11 | 12,106.01 miles (19,482.68 km) NW | Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport (GDQ) | Gondar, Ethiopia | |
| 12 | 12,103.98 miles (19,479.43 km) NE | Dongola Airport (DOG) | Dongola, Sudan | |
| 13 | 12,068.13 miles (19,421.73 km) W | Asmara International Airport (ASM) | Asmara, Eritrea | |
| 14 | 12,068.09 miles (19,421.67 km) WNW | Axum Emperor Yohannes IV Airport (AXU) | Axum, Ethiopia | |
| 15 | 12,066.54 miles (19,419.16 km) NNW | Asosa Airport (ASO) | Asosa, Ethiopia | |
| 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 | |