Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W)
Distance from MER to AFA:
5,994.09 miles (9,646.52 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- AFA Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about AFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to AFA
- List of Nearest Airports to AFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from AFA
- List of Furthest Airports from AFA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and San Rafael Airport (AFA), San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,994 miles (or 9,647 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 Castle Airport and San Rafael 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 Castle Airport and San Rafael Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | AFA / SAMR |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W |
| Area Served: | San Rafael, Mendoza Province, Argentina |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2470 feet (753 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from AFA |
| More Information: | AFA Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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 covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- In 2004, recommendations were made to relocate the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard and its associated HC-130, MC-130 and HH-60 aircraft from Moffett Federal Airfield to the former Castle Air Force Base, now Castle Airport.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
Facts about San Rafael Airport (AFA):
- San Rafael Airport (AFA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA), which is nearly antipodal to San Rafael Airport (meaning San Rafael Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Luoyang Beijiao Airport), and is located 12,391 miles (19,941 kilometers) away in Luoyang, Henan, China.
- The closest airport to San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS), which is located 91 miles (147 kilometers) SW of AFA.
- In addition to being known as "San Rafael Airport", another name for AFA is "Aeropuerto San Rafael "Santiago Germano"".
| 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 | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 91.09 miles (146.59 km) SW | Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS) | Malargüe, Mendoza, Argentina | |
| 2 | 123.40 miles (198.59 km) N | Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ) | Mendoza, Mendoza Province, Argentina | |
| 3 | 148.57 miles (239.10 km) NE | Brigadier Mayor Cesar Raúl Ojeda Airport (LUQ) | San Luis, Argentina | |
| 4 | 159.49 miles (256.68 km) WNW | Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) | Santiago, Chile | |
| 5 | 186.41 miles (300.00 km) W | La Unión Airport (LUI) | La Unión, Honduras[disambiguation needed] | |
| 6 | 204.94 miles (329.82 km) N | Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport (UAQ) | San Juan Province, Argentina | |
| 7 | 209.76 miles (337.58 km) WNW | Viña del Mar Airport (KNA) | Viña del Mar, Chile | |
| 8 | 221.99 miles (357.26 km) SSW | Chos Malal Airport (HOS) | Chos Malal, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 9 | 231.70 miles (372.88 km) S | Colonia Catriel Airport (CCT) | Colonia Catriel, Río Negro, Argentina | |
| 10 | 246.02 miles (395.93 km) SW | General Bernardo O'Higgins Airport (YAI) | Chillán, Ñuble, Chile | |
| 11 | 262.17 miles (421.92 km) NE | Villa Dolores Airport (VDR) | Villa Dolores, Córdoba, Argentina | |
| 12 | 268.18 miles (431.59 km) SSW | Caviahue Airport (CVH) | Caviahue, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 13 | 269.90 miles (434.36 km) ESE | Santa Rosa Airport (RSA) | Santa Rosa, Argentina | |
| 14 | 273.38 miles (439.96 km) ESE | General Pico Airport (GPO) | General Pico, La Pampa, Argentina | |
| 15 | 301.62 miles (485.40 km) S | Presidente Perón Internacional Airport (NQN) | Neuquen, Argentina | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,390.57 miles (19,940.64 km) WNW | Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA) | Luoyang, Henan, China | |
| 2 | 12,388.53 miles (19,937.35 km) NE | Yuncheng Guangong Airport (YCU) | Yuncheng, China | |
| 3 | 12,311.28 miles (19,813.04 km) NNW | Nanyang Jiangying Airport (NNY) | Nanyang, Henan, China | |
| 4 | 12,308.99 miles (19,809.36 km) W | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) | Zhengzhou, Henan, China | |
| 5 | 12,295.01 miles (19,786.85 km) E | Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) | Xi'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 6 | 12,293.40 miles (19,784.26 km) NW | Changzhi Wangcun Airport (CIH) | Changzhi, Shanxi, China | |
| 7 | 12,274.55 miles (19,753.92 km) E | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) | Xianyang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 8 | 12,263.65 miles (19,736.38 km) NNW | Xiangyang Liuji Airport (XFN) | Xiangfan, Hubei, China | |
| 9 | 12,254.59 miles (19,721.81 km) NE | Yan'an Airport (ENY) | Yan'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 10 | 12,235.88 miles (19,691.69 km) NE | Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) | Ankang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 11 | 12,228.83 miles (19,680.34 km) NW | Handan Airport (HDG) | Handan, Hebei, China | |
| 12 | 12,221.44 miles (19,668.46 km) N | Lüliang Airport (LLV) | Lüliang, Shanxi, China | |
| 13 | 12,220.07 miles (19,666.25 km) NNE | Shennongjia Hongping Airport (HPG) | Shennongjia, Hubei, China | |
| 14 | 12,212.37 miles (19,653.85 km) NW | Xingtai Dalian Airport (XNT) | Xingtai, Hebei, China | |
| 15 | 12,211.08 miles (19,651.78 km) NNW | Taiyuan Wuxu International Airport (TYN) | Taiyuan, Shanxi, China | |