Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Incheon (near Seoul), South Korea:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Incheon International Airport (ICN), Incheon (near Seoul), South Korea would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,731 miles (or 9,222 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 Incheon International 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 Incheon International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

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.
• Castle Air Museum is 500 yards away, displaying over 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft.
• Since the mid-1940s, aircraft maintenance, fuel management, and fire training activities on the base have generated wastes that consist primarily of waste fuels, oils, solvents, and cleaners.
• It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
• 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.
• The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of 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.
• Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Incheon International Airport (ICN):

• After the Seoul Olympics of 1988, international air traffic to Korea increased.
• To further upgrade service, Incheon and major Korean logistics firm Hanjin Corporation agreed on 10 January 2008 to build a nine-story hospital near the airport.
• The closest airport to Incheon International Airport (ICN) is Gimpo International Airport (GMP), which is located 20 miles (33 kilometers) ENE of ICN.
• The main passenger terminal is the largest airport terminal in area in South Korea.
• Incheon International Airport (ICN) has 3 runways.
• The furthest airport from Incheon International Airport (ICN) is Villa Gesell Airport (VLG), which is nearly antipodal to Incheon International Airport (meaning Incheon International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Villa Gesell Airport), and is located 12,246 miles (19,707 kilometers) away in Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• On 15 November 2006, the Airbus A380 landed at the airport as part of the first leg of its certification trip.
• There are three parallel paved asphalt runways in operation, 15R/33L, 15L/33R and 16/34.
• Because of Incheon International Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Incheon International 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.
• It is connected to the mainland by Incheon International Airport Expressway, a part of which is Yeongjong Bridge.
• Incheon International Airport is located west of Incheon's city center, on an artificially created piece of land between Yeongjong and Yongyu islands.
• Incheon International Airport handled 41,482,828 passengers last year.
• In addition to being known as "Incheon International Airport", other names for ICN include "인천국제공항 仁川國際空港" and "Incheon Gukje Gonghang Inch'ŏn Kukche Konghang".