Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(33°56'20"N by 81°7'9"W)
Distance from MER to CAE:
2,211.22 miles (3,558.60 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- CAE Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about CAE
- 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 CAE
- List of Nearest Airports to CAE
- Map of Furthest Airports from CAE
- List of Furthest Airports from CAE
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,211 miles (or 3,559 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 Columbia Metropolitan 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: | CAE / KCAE |
| Airport Name: | Columbia Metropolitan Airport |
| Location: | West Columbia (near Columbia), South Carolina, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 33°56'20"N by 81°7'9"W |
| Area Served: | Columbia, South Carolina |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 236 feet (72 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from CAE |
| More Information: | CAE Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
Facts about Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE):
- The closest airport to Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport (CUB), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) ENE of CAE.
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) has 2 runways.
- Police and Fire/Rescue services are provided by the Columbia Metro Airport Department of Public Safety.
- Because of Columbia Metropolitan Airport's relatively low elevation of 236 feet, planes can take off or land at Columbia Metropolitan 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.
- Columbia Metropolitan Airport handled 1,027,699 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,508 miles (18,520 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Passenger service was begun by Delta Air Lines which has served Columbia for over 70 years.
| 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 | 7.44 miles (11.98 km) ENE | Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport (CUB) | Columbia, South Carolina, United States | |
| 2 | 18.29 miles (29.44 km) E | McEntire Joint National Guard Base Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield CongareeCongaree Army Airfield (MMT) | Eastover, South Carolina, United States | |
| 3 | 36.50 miles (58.74 km) SSE | Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB) | Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States | |
| 4 | 37.14 miles (59.76 km) E | Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) | Sumter, South Carolina, United States | |
| 5 | 38.14 miles (61.38 km) WSW | Aiken Municipal Airport (AIK) | Aiken, South Carolina, United States | |
| 6 | 39.66 miles (63.83 km) NE | Woodward Field (CDN) | Camden, South Carolina, United States | |
| 7 | 43.61 miles (70.19 km) E | Sumter Airport (SUM) | Sumter, South Carolina, United States | |
| 8 | 49.52 miles (79.69 km) SSW | Barnwell Regional Airport (BNL) | Barnwell, South Carolina, United States | |
| 9 | 62.15 miles (100.02 km) WSW | Daniel Field (DNL) | Augusta, Georgia, United States | |
| 10 | 62.50 miles (100.59 km) SW | Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field (AGS) | Augusta, Georgia, United States | |
| 11 | 63.22 miles (101.75 km) WNW | Greenwood County Airport (GRD) | Greenwood, South Carolina, United States | |
| 12 | 65.56 miles (105.51 km) ENE | Hartsville Regional Airport (HVS) | Hartsville, South Carolina, United States | |
| 13 | 75.55 miles (121.58 km) SSE | Lowcountry Regional Airport (RBW) | Walterboro, South Carolina, United States | |
| 14 | 81.67 miles (131.44 km) ENE | Florence Regional Airport (FLO) | Florence, South Carolina, United States | |
| 15 | 82.65 miles (133.01 km) NW | Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA) | Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,507.99 miles (18,520.27 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 11,489.32 miles (18,490.22 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,471.13 miles (18,460.96 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 11,463.08 miles (18,448.00 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 11,458.75 miles (18,441.03 km) W | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,450.26 miles (18,427.36 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,444.86 miles (18,418.67 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,439.14 miles (18,409.46 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,437.64 miles (18,407.05 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 11,428.77 miles (18,392.77 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,397.57 miles (18,342.56 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,385.19 miles (18,322.65 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,377.54 miles (18,310.33 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 11,360.48 miles (18,282.87 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,357.61 miles (18,278.25 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |