Nonstop flight route between Maracaibo, Venezuela and Atwater, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between La Chinita International Airport (MAR), Maracaibo, Venezuela and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,544 miles (or 5,703 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 La Chinita International 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 La Chinita International Airport and Castle 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 La Chinita International Airport (MAR):

• La Chinita International Airport (MAR) has 2 runways.
• The furthest airport from La Chinita International Airport (MAR) is Christmas Island Airport (XCH), which is nearly antipodal to La Chinita International Airport (meaning La Chinita International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Christmas Island Airport), and is located 12,261 miles (19,732 kilometers) away in Christmas Island, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "La Chinita International Airport", another name for MAR is "Aeropuerto Internacional La Chinita".
• Because of La Chinita International Airport's relatively low elevation of 235 feet, planes can take off or land at La Chinita 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.
• The closest airport to La Chinita International Airport (MAR) is Oro Negro Airport (CBS), which is located 32 miles (51 kilometers) ESE of MAR.

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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• EPA investigations have been completed at multiple areas of contamination including landfills, discharge areas, chemical disposal areas, fire training areas, fuel spill areas, and polychlorinated biphenyl spill areas.
• The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
• 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.
• 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.