Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Lamu, Kenya:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(2°14'45"S by 40°54'35"E)
Distance from MER to LAU:
9,739.20 miles (15,673.69 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- LAU Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about LAU
- 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 LAU
- List of Nearest Airports to LAU
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAU
- List of Furthest Airports from LAU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Manda Airport (LAU), Lamu, Kenya would travel a Great Circle distance of 9,739 miles (or 15,674 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 Manda 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 Manda 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: | LAU / HKLU |
| Airport Name: | Manda Airport |
| Location: | Lamu, Kenya |
| GPS Coordinates: | 2°14'45"S by 40°54'35"E |
| Area Served: | Lamu |
| Operator/Owner: | Government of Kenya |
| Airport Type: | Public, Civilian |
| Elevation: | 20 feet (6 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from LAU |
| More Information: | LAU Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- It serves one school, Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, which specializes in training foreign pilots, from the People's Republic of China.
- 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 Manda Airport (LAU):
- Because of Manda Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Manda 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.
- Manda Airport (LAU) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Manda Airport (LAU) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,607 miles (18,679 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
- The closest airport to Manda Airport (LAU) is Kiwayu Airport (KWY), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) NE of LAU.
- Manda Airport is a small civilian airport on Manda Island, serving the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya.
| 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 | 33.24 miles (53.50 km) NE | Kiwayu Airport (KWY) | Kiwayu, Kenya | |
| 2 | 80.20 miles (129.07 km) NW | Hola Airport (HOA) | Hola, Kenya | |
| 3 | 87.21 miles (140.36 km) SW | Malindi Airport (MYD) | Malindi, Kenya | |
| 4 | 144.84 miles (233.10 km) SW | Bamburi Airport (BMQ) | Bamburi, Kenya | |
| 5 | 150.55 miles (242.28 km) NW | Garissa Airport (GAS) | Garissa, Kenya | |
| 6 | 153.80 miles (247.52 km) SW | Moi International Airport (MBA) | Mombasa, Kenya | |
| 7 | 166.54 miles (268.02 km) NE | Kismayo Airport (KMU) | Kisimayu, Somalia | |
| 8 | 200.90 miles (323.32 km) WSW | Kilaguni Airport (ILU) | Kilaguni, Kenya | |
| 9 | 254.13 miles (408.98 km) W | Amboseli Airport (ASV) | Amboseli, Kenya | |
| 10 | 259.11 miles (417.00 km) WSW | Moshi Airport (QSI) | Moshi, Tanzania | |
| 11 | 277.02 miles (445.82 km) WSW | Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) | Kilimanjaro, Tanzania | |
| 12 | 282.51 miles (454.65 km) WNW | Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) | Nairobi, Kenya | |
| 13 | 289.95 miles (466.62 km) WNW | Wilson Airport (WIL) | Nairobi, Kenya | |
| 14 | 298.24 miles (479.96 km) SSW | Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) | Zanzibar, Tanzania | |
| 15 | 305.88 miles (492.26 km) WSW | Arusha Airport (ARK) | Arusha, Tanzania | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,606.64 miles (18,679.04 km) S | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 2 | 11,188.96 miles (18,006.84 km) SSE | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 11,184.62 miles (17,999.86 km) SSE | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 11,182.55 miles (17,996.52 km) S | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 11,175.91 miles (17,985.85 km) E | Cassidy International Airport (CXI) | Christmas Island, Kiribati | |
| 6 | 11,151.88 miles (17,947.17 km) S | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 11,123.09 miles (17,900.84 km) SSE | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 11,107.80 miles (17,876.23 km) SSE | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 11,098.74 miles (17,861.65 km) SSE | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 11,095.21 miles (17,855.96 km) SSE | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 11,083.38 miles (17,836.93 km) SSE | Mataiva Airport (MVT) | Mataiva, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 11,027.10 miles (17,746.35 km) S | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 11,013.95 miles (17,725.19 km) SSE | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 11,010.52 miles (17,719.67 km) S | Pukarua Airport (PUK) | Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 10,948.99 miles (17,620.64 km) S | Nukutavake Airport (NUK) | Nukutavake, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |