Nonstop flight route between Sand Island, Midway Atoll, United States and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(28°12'5"N by 177°22'53"W)
Arrival Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Distance from MDY to MER:
3,310.67 miles (5,328.00 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MDY Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about MDY
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to MDY
- List of Nearest Airports to MDY
- Map of Furthest Airports from MDY
- List of Furthest Airports from MDY
- 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 Henderson Field (MDY), Sand Island, Midway Atoll, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,311 miles (or 5,328 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 Henderson Field 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 Henderson Field 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: | MDY / PMDY |
| Airport Name: | Henderson Field |
| Location: | Sand Island, Midway Atoll, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°12'5"N by 177°22'53"W |
| Area Served: | Midway Atoll |
| Operator/Owner: | U.S. Dept. of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 18 feet (5 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from MDY |
| More Information: | MDY 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 Henderson Field (MDY):
- Henderson Field (MDY) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Henderson Field's relatively low elevation of 18 feet, planes can take off or land at Henderson Field 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.
- After transition from the U.S.
- The furthest airport from Henderson Field (MDY) is Lüderitz Airport (LUD), which is located 11,656 miles (18,759 kilometers) away in Luderitz, Namibia.
- The closest airport to Henderson Field (MDY) is Johnston Atoll Airport (JON), which is located 937 miles (1,508 kilometers) SE of MDY.
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 937.06 miles (1,508.05 km) SE | Johnston Atoll Airport (JON) | Johnston Atoll, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands |     |
| 2 | 1,163.14 miles (1,871.89 km) SW | Quoin Hill Airfield (UIQ) | Quoin Hill, Vanuatu | |
| 3 | 1,179.19 miles (1,897.72 km) ESE | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 1,181.99 miles (1,902.22 km) WSW | Wake Island Airfield (AWK) | Wake Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands | |
| 5 | 1,193.43 miles (1,920.63 km) ESE | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 1,193.67 miles (1,921.01 km) ESE | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 1,206.51 miles (1,941.68 km) ESE | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 1,284.52 miles (2,067.22 km) ESE | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 1,296.45 miles (2,086.43 km) ESE | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 1,299.87 miles (2,091.93 km) ESE | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 1,308.14 miles (2,105.24 km) ESE | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 1,308.14 miles (2,105.24 km) ESE | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 1,361.18 miles (2,190.60 km) ESE | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 1,366.66 miles (2,199.42 km) ESE | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 1,380.51 miles (2,221.71 km) ESE | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,656.05 miles (18,758.55 km) W | Lüderitz Airport (LUD) | Luderitz, Namibia | |
| 2 | 11,605.66 miles (18,677.45 km) WSW | Walvis Bay Airport (WVB) | Walvis Bay, Namibia | |
| 3 | 11,591.01 miles (18,653.87 km) W | Alexander Bay Airport (ALJ) | Alexander Bay, South Africa | |
| 4 | 11,569.67 miles (18,619.53 km) WSW | Arandis Airport (ADI) | Arandis / Swakopmund, Namibia | |
| 5 | 11,556.22 miles (18,597.89 km) W | Kleinsee Airport (KLZ) | Kleinzee, South Africa | |
| 6 | 11,479.95 miles (18,475.14 km) W | Keetmanshoop Airport (KMP) | Keetmanshoop, Namibia | |
| 7 | 11,456.03 miles (18,436.65 km) WSW | Eros Airport (ERS) | Windhoek, Namibia | |
| 8 | 11,455.44 miles (18,435.69 km) W | Karasburg Airport (KAS) | Karasburg, Namibia | |
| 9 | 11,453.64 miles (18,432.80 km) W | Aggeneys Airport (AGZ) | Aggeneys, South Africa | |
| 10 | 11,453.62 miles (18,432.78 km) W | Wild Coast Sun Airport (MZF) | Mzamba, South Africa | |
| 11 | 11,430.33 miles (18,395.29 km) WSW | Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) | Windhoek, Namibia | |
| 12 | 11,412.29 miles (18,366.25 km) WSW | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 13 | 11,357.04 miles (18,277.34 km) WSW | Halali Airport (HAL) | Halali, Namibia | |
| 14 | 11,343.44 miles (18,255.45 km) WSW | Gobabis Airport (GOG) | Gobabis, Namibia | |
| 15 | 11,321.78 miles (18,220.59 km) SW | Vila Roçadas/Xangongo Airport (XGN) | Xangongo, Angola | |
| 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 | |