Nonstop flight route between La Rioja, Argentina and Merced, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ), La Rioja, Argentina and Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,770 miles (or 9,286 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 Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport and Merced Regional 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 Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport and Merced Regional Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ):

• The closest airport to Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) is Coronel Felipe Varela International Airport (CTC), which is located 83 miles (134 kilometers) NE of IRJ.
• It has a 940 m² passenger terminal, 85,000 m² of runways, 33,800m² of taxiways, a 1,730 m² hangar, and a parking place for 70 cars.
• In 1969, a new runway was paved.
• In addition to being known as "Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport", another name for IRJ is "Aeropuerto de La Rioja - Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid".
• Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (IRJ) is Changsha Huanghua International Airport (CSX), which is nearly antipodal to Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport (meaning Capitán Vicente Almandos Almonacid Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Changsha Huanghua International Airport), and is located 12,355 miles (19,883 kilometers) away in Changsha, Hunan, China.

Facts about Merced Regional Airport (MCE):

• The furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
• In 1946 United Airlines built offices and a terminal building and began one Douglas DC-3 flight each way a day.
• The Department of Transportation reselected Great Lakes Airlines to provide Essential Air Service at Merced Regional Airport for the two-year period from October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.
• Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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 1941 construction delays at the Air Corps Basic Flying School site forced the Army to lease the original Merced Municipal Airport, resulting in the first aircraft assigned to the Air Corps Basic Flying School being stored at Merced Municipal Airport and giving the Basic Flying School its first usable axillary field.
• The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
• In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
• On March 6, 2009 the city council voted to change the name from Merced Municipal Airport to Merced Regional Airport.