Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Big Lake, Alaska, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(61°32'9"N by 149°48'50"W)
Distance from MER to BGQ:
2,087.50 miles (3,359.49 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- BGQ Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about BGQ
- 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 BGQ
- List of Nearest Airports to BGQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from BGQ
- List of Furthest Airports from BGQ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Big Lake Airport (BGQ), Big Lake, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,087 miles (or 3,359 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 relatively short distance between Castle Airport and Big Lake Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | BGQ / PAGQ |
| Airport Name: | Big Lake Airport |
| Location: | Big Lake, Alaska, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 61°32'9"N by 149°48'50"W |
| Area Served: | Big Lake, Alaska |
| Operator/Owner: | State of Alaska DOT&PF - Central Region |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 158 feet (48 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from BGQ |
| More Information: | BGQ 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- Castle Airport is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States.
- 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 covers an area of 1,360 acres which contains one runway with an 11,802 x 150 ft asphalt and concrete pavement.
- 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.
Facts about Big Lake Airport (BGQ):
- Big Lake Airport (BGQ) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Big Lake Airport (BGQ) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 10,522 miles (16,934 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
- Because of Big Lake Airport's relatively low elevation of 158 feet, planes can take off or land at Big Lake 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 Big Lake Airport (BGQ) is Wasilla Airport (WWA), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) ENE of BGQ.
| 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 | 9.37 miles (15.07 km) ENE | Wasilla Airport (WWA) | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | |
| 2 | 16.97 miles (27.31 km) NNW | Willow Airport (WOW) | Willow, Alaska, United States | |
| 3 | 19.62 miles (31.58 km) SSE | Bryant Army Airfield (FRN) | Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 4 | 19.67 miles (31.66 km) S | Elmendorf Air Force Base (EDF) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 5 | 22.31 miles (35.90 km) S | Merrill Field (MRI) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 6 | 24.21 miles (38.95 km) E | Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) | Palmer, Alaska, United States | |
| 7 | 25.74 miles (41.43 km) SSW | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | |
| 8 | 47.88 miles (77.06 km) WSW | Beluga Airport (BVU) | Beluga, Alaska, United States | |
| 9 | 53.93 miles (86.79 km) NW | Skwentna Airport (SKW) | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | |
| 10 | 54.20 miles (87.22 km) SW | Tyonek Airport (TYE) | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | |
| 11 | 54.96 miles (88.45 km) N | Talkeetna Airport (TKA) | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | |
| 12 | 81.94 miles (131.86 km) SW | Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA) | Kenai, Alaska, United States | |
| 13 | 84.00 miles (135.19 km) SSW | Soldotna Airport (SXQ) | Soldotna, Alaska, United States | |
| 14 | 98.27 miles (158.15 km) S | Seward Airport (SWD) | Seward, Alaska, United States | |
| 15 | 113.58 miles (182.79 km) ESE | Tatitlek Airport (TEK) | Tatitlek, Alaska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,522.43 miles (16,934.16 km) S | Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | |
| 2 | 10,503.58 miles (16,903.83 km) SSE | George Airport (GRJ) | George, South Africa | |
| 3 | 10,497.86 miles (16,894.63 km) S | Port Alfred Airport (AFD) | Port Alfred, South Africa | |
| 4 | 10,464.74 miles (16,841.33 km) S | East London Airport (ELS) | East London, South Africa | |
| 5 | 10,464.31 miles (16,840.63 km) SSE | Cape Town International Airport (CPT) | Cape Town, South Africa | |
| 6 | 10,363.59 miles (16,678.54 km) S | Mthatha Airport (UTT) | Mthatha, South Africa | |
| 7 | 10,317.23 miles (16,603.94 km) S | Margate Airport (MGH) | Margate, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 8 | 10,249.21 miles (16,494.46 km) S | Lebakeng Airport (LEF) | Lebakeng, Lesotho | |
| 9 | 10,244.55 miles (16,486.96 km) S | Semonkong Airport (SOK) | Semonkong, Lesotho | |
| 10 | 10,240.00 miles (16,479.64 km) S | Mafeteng Airport (MFC) | Mafeteng, Lesotho | |
| 11 | 10,239.39 miles (16,478.66 km) S | Lesobeng Airport (LES) | Lesobeng, Lesotho | |
| 12 | 10,233.43 miles (16,469.07 km) S | Pietermaritzburg Airport (PZB) | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa | |
| 13 | 10,230.98 miles (16,465.12 km) S | King Shaka International (DUR) | Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | |
| 14 | 10,217.44 miles (16,443.34 km) S | Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) | Maseru, Lesotho | |
| 15 | 10,207.65 miles (16,427.58 km) S | Mokhotlong Airport (MKH) | Mokhotlong, Lesotho | |