Nonstop flight route between Merced, California, United States and Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States and New Chitose Airport (CTS), Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,878 miles (or 7,850 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 Merced Regional Airport and New Chitose 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 Merced Regional Airport and New Chitose 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 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.
• In 1943 New Merced Municipal Airport was leased to the U.S.
• United's DC-3s were replaced by Convair 340s and Douglas DC-6s, and eventually by Boeing 737-200 jetliners in 1968-69.
• 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.
• Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
• The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.

Facts about New Chitose Airport (CTS):

• The airline Hokkaido Air System was at one time headquartered in the New Chitose airport terminal.
• The domestic terminal contains a 188-room hotel, the hotelcom's New Chitose Airport.
• The airport's IATA airport code was originally SPK.
• New Chitose Airport (CTS) has 4 runways.
• The airport was upgraded with additional private aircraft handling facilities for the 34th G8 summit, held in Hokkaido in 2008.
• The closest airport to New Chitose Airport (CTS) is Asahikawa Airport (AKJ), which is located 73 miles (117 kilometers) NNE of CTS.
• China Airlines operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.
• Because of New Chitose Airport's relatively low elevation of 70 feet, planes can take off or land at New Chitose 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 addition to being known as "New Chitose Airport", other names for CTS include "Sapporo/New Chitose Airport", "新千歳空港" and "Shin-Chitose Kūkō".
• The airport has a semicircular domestic terminal with eighteen gates, and a smaller international terminal with six gates.
• The furthest airport from New Chitose Airport (CTS) is Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport (PDP), which is located 11,383 miles (18,319 kilometers) away in Maldonado/Punta del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay.