Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Kiryat Shmona (Qiryat Shemona), Israel:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from MER to KSW:
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- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- KSW Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about KSW
- 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 KSW
- List of Nearest Airports to KSW
- Map of Furthest Airports from KSW
- List of Furthest Airports from KSW
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Kiryat Shmona Airport (KSW), Kiryat Shmona (Qiryat Shemona), Israel would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,323 miles (or 11,786 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 Kiryat Shmona 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 Kiryat Shmona 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: | KSW / LLKS |
Airport Name: | Kiryat Shmona Airport |
Location: | Kiryat Shmona (Qiryat Shemona), Israel |
GPS Coordinates: | 33°13'0"N by 35°35'48"E |
Area Served: | Kiryat Shmona |
Operator/Owner: | Disputed |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 376 feet (115 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from KSW |
More Information: | KSW Maps & Info |
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 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.
- The closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- 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.
Facts about Kiryat Shmona Airport (KSW):
- Arkia handled domestic flights until end of 2003, when it closed down due to a lack of passenger traffic.
- Old terminal, permanently closed
- The furthest airport from Kiryat Shmona Airport (KSW) is Rurutu Airport (RUR), which is located 11,579 miles (18,635 kilometers) away in Rurutu, French Polynesia.
- In 2006, the new airport terminal was opened.
- Because of Kiryat Shmona Airport's relatively low elevation of 376 feet, planes can take off or land at Kiryat Shmona 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 Kiryat Shmona Airport (KSW) is Beirut Air Base (BEY), which is located 42 miles (68 kilometers) N of KSW.
- Kiryat Shmona Airport (KSW) currently has only 1 runway.