Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(3°5'11"N by 172°48'41"E)
Distance from MER to BBG:
4,813.20 miles (7,746.07 km)
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- BBG Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about BBG
- 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 BBG
- List of Nearest Airports to BBG
- Map of Furthest Airports from BBG
- List of Furthest Airports from BBG
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG), Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,813 miles (or 7,746 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 Butaritari Atoll 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 Butaritari Atoll 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: | BBG / NGTU |
| Airport Name: | Butaritari Atoll Airport |
| Location: | Butaritari Atoll, Kiribati |
| GPS Coordinates: | 3°5'11"N by 172°48'41"E |
| Elevation: | 5 feet (2 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BBG |
| More Information: | BBG Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
Facts about Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG):
- Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) currently has only 1 runway.
- Butaritari Atoll Airport is an airport on Butaritari in the Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribati.
- The furthest airport from Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) is Cape Palmas Airport (CPA), which is located 11,920 miles (19,183 kilometers) away in Cape Palmas, Liberia.
- Because of Butaritari Atoll Airport's relatively low elevation of 5 feet, planes can take off or land at Butaritari Atoll 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 Americans pulled out at the end of 1944, abandoning the airfield.
- The closest airport to Butaritari Atoll Airport (BBG) is Marakei Airport (MZK), which is located 78 miles (126 kilometers) SSE of BBG.
| 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 | 78.19 miles (125.83 km) SSE | Marakei Airport (MZK) | Marakei, Kiribati | |
| 2 | 90.53 miles (145.69 km) S | Abaiang Atoll Airport (ABF) | Abaiang, Kiribati | |
| 3 | 120.05 miles (193.20 km) S | Bonriki International Airport (TRW) | Tarawa, Kiribati | |
| 4 | 192.61 miles (309.97 km) SSE | Abemama Atoll Airport (AEA) | Abemama Atoll, Kiribati | |
| 5 | 208.39 miles (335.38 km) SSE | Aranuka Airport (AAK) | Aranuka, Kiribati | |
| 6 | 211.88 miles (340.99 km) NNW | Enejit Airport (EJT) | Enejit, Marshall Islands | |
| 7 | 220.12 miles (354.25 km) NNW | Mili Airport (MIJ) | Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| 8 | 286.28 miles (460.72 km) NNW | Tinak Airport (TIC) | Tinak, Arno Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| 9 | 286.54 miles (461.14 km) NNW | Ine Airport (IMI) | Ine, Arno Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| 10 | 292.98 miles (471.50 km) NW | Jaluit Airport (UIT) | Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| 11 | 294.57 miles (474.07 km) NNW | Marshall Islands International Airport (MAJ) | Majuro, Marshall Islands | |
| 12 | 297.81 miles (479.28 km) NNW | Airok Airport (AIC) | Airok, Marshall Islands | |
| 13 | 298.65 miles (480.63 km) WNW | Ebon Airport (EBO) | Ebon Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| 14 | 309.28 miles (497.73 km) NW | Kili Airport (KIO) | Kili Island, Marshall Islands | |
| 15 | 367.23 miles (591.00 km) NNW | Aur Airport (AUL) | Aur Atoll, Marshall Islands | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,919.78 miles (19,182.97 km) N | Cape Palmas Airport (CPA) | Cape Palmas, Liberia | |
| 2 | 11,894.26 miles (19,141.90 km) N | Sasstown Airport (SAZ) | Sasstown, Liberia | |
| 3 | 11,878.29 miles (19,116.20 km) N | Sassandra Airport (ZSS) | Sassandra, Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 4 | 11,860.91 miles (19,088.24 km) NNE | Greenville/Sinoe Airport (SNI) | Greenville, Liberia | |
| 5 | 11,837.45 miles (19,050.49 km) SE | RAF Ascension (ASI) | Georgetown, Ascension Island, Saint Helena | |
| 6 | 11,817.61 miles (19,018.55 km) NNW | Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ) | Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 7 | 11,810.36 miles (19,006.89 km) NNW | Divo Airport (DIV) | Divo, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | |
| 8 | 11,802.13 miles (18,993.64 km) N | Tchien Airport (THC) | Tchien, Liberia | |
| 9 | 11,796.45 miles (18,984.50 km) N | Gagnoa Airport (GGN) | Gagnoa, Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 10 | 11,788.91 miles (18,972.36 km) NNW | Aboisso Airport (ABO) | Aboisso, Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 11 | 11,784.80 miles (18,965.76 km) NNE | Buchanan Airport (UCN) | Buchanan, Liberia | |
| 12 | 11,771.73 miles (18,944.71 km) N | Guiglo Airport (GGO) | Guiglo, Côte d'Ivoire | |
| 13 | 11,770.58 miles (18,942.87 km) NW | Takoradi Airport (TKD) | Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana | |
| 14 | 11,756.62 miles (18,920.39 km) NNE | Roberts International Airport Roberts Field (ROB) | Monrovia, Liberia | |
| 15 | 11,752.42 miles (18,913.65 km) N | Daloa Airport (DJO) | Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | |