Nonstop flight route between Lille, France and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(50°33'47"N by 3°5'12"E)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from LIL to MER:
5,465.06 miles (8,795.14 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- LIL Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about LIL
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to LIL
- List of Nearest Airports to LIL
- Map of Furthest Airports from LIL
- List of Furthest Airports from LIL
- 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 Lille Airport (LIL), Lille, France and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,465 miles (or 8,795 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 Lille 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 Lille 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: | LIL / LFQQ |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Lille, France |
| GPS Coordinates: | 50°33'47"N by 3°5'12"E |
| Area Served: | Lille, France |
| Operator/Owner: | Socièté de gestion de l'aéroport de la région de Lille (SOGAREL) |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 157 feet (48 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LIL |
| More Information: | LIL 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 Lille Airport (LIL):
- Lille Airport (LIL) has 2 runways.
- Because of Lille Airport's relatively low elevation of 157 feet, planes can take off or land at Lille 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 Lille Airport (LIL) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,970 miles (19,263 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to Lille Airport (LIL) is Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport (KJK), which is located only 18 miles (29 kilometers) NNE of LIL.
- In addition to being known as "Lille Airport", other names for LIL include "Aéroport de Lille" and "(Advanced Landing Ground B-51)".
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The EPA currently has this base listed on their database due to the bulk wastes such as solvents, oils, fuels, and sludges which were disposed in pits at landfills around the base until 1977.
- 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.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- 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.
- Castle Airport covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 18.28 miles (29.43 km) NNE | Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport (KJK) | Wevelgem, Belgium |     |
| 2 | 19.95 miles (32.10 km) W | Merville - Calonne Airport (HZB) | Merville / Calonne, France | |
| 3 | 20.74 miles (33.37 km) SW | Arras - Roclincourt Airport (QRV) | Arras / Roclincourt, France | |
| 4 | 23.26 miles (37.43 km) SE | Valenciennes-Denain Airport (XVS) | Valenciennes, France | |
| 5 | 40.48 miles (65.14 km) NW | Dunkerque – Les Moëres Airfield (XDK) | Dunkerque, France | |
| 6 | 45.04 miles (72.48 km) NNW | Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) | Flanders, Belgium | |
| 7 | 56.72 miles (91.28 km) WNW | Calais–Dunkerque Airport (CQF) | Calais / Dunkerque, France | |
| 8 | 56.85 miles (91.50 km) SSW | Amiens - Glisy Aerodrome (QAM) | Amiens, France | |
| 9 | 60.43 miles (97.26 km) E | Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) | Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium | |
| 10 | 62.46 miles (100.52 km) WSW | Aerodrome Abbeville (XAB) | Abbeville, France | |
| 11 | 64.17 miles (103.28 km) W | Le Touquet - Côte d'Opale Airport (LTQ) | Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, France | |
| 12 | 65.43 miles (105.29 km) ENE | Brussels Airport (BRU) | Brussels, Belgium | |
| 13 | 73.87 miles (118.87 km) NE | Antwerp International Airport (ANR) | Antwerp, Belgium | |
| 14 | 81.97 miles (131.92 km) NE | Woensdrecht Air Base (WOE) | Woensdrecht, Netherlands | |
| 15 | 87.28 miles (140.46 km) NE | Zoersel-Oostmalle Airfield (OBL) | Zoersel / Oostmalle, Belgium | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,969.70 miles (19,263.32 km) S | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,764.11 miles (18,932.45 km) ESE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,759.72 miles (18,925.39 km) ESE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,740.93 miles (18,895.15 km) SE | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,736.51 miles (18,888.04 km) SE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,735.03 miles (18,885.66 km) ESE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,717.08 miles (18,856.77 km) SE | Kaikoura Aerodrome (KBZ) | Kaikoura, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,710.04 miles (18,845.43 km) ESE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,703.58 miles (18,835.04 km) ESE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,703.30 miles (18,834.59 km) ESE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,685.82 miles (18,806.46 km) SE | Wellington International Airport (WLG) | Wellington, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,684.08 miles (18,803.65 km) SSE | Hood Aerodrome (MRO) | Masterton, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,678.34 miles (18,794.42 km) ESE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,676.27 miles (18,791.09 km) ESE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,672.58 miles (18,785.16 km) SE | Woodbourne Airport (BHE) | Blenheim, New Zealand | |
| 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 | |