Nonstop flight route between Atwater, California, United States and Santa Barbara, California, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°22'50"N by 120°34'5"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°3'38"N by 119°54'54"W)
Distance from MER to SZN:
232.29 miles (373.84 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- MER Airport Information
- SZN Airport Information
- Facts about MER
- Facts about SZN
- 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 SZN
- List of Nearest Airports to SZN
- Map of Furthest Airports from SZN
- List of Furthest Airports from SZN
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States and Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN), Santa Barbara, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 232 miles (or 374 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 Santa Cruz Island 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: | SZN / KSZN |
| Airport Name: | Santa Cruz Island Airport |
| Location: | Santa Barbara, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°3'38"N by 119°54'54"W |
| Operator/Owner: | The Nature Conservancy |
| Airport Type: | Private |
| Elevation: | 50 feet (15 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SZN |
| More Information: | SZN Maps & Info |
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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 closest airport to Castle Airport (MER) is Merced Regional Airport (MCE), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) SSE of MER.
- The airport is located at the former Castle Air Force Base which closed in 1995.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN):
- The furthest airport from Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) is Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE), which is located 11,512 miles (18,527 kilometers) away in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.
- Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Santa Cruz Island Airport's relatively low elevation of 50 feet, planes can take off or land at Santa Cruz Island 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 Santa Cruz Island Airport (SZN) is Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) N of SZN.
| 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 | 25.62 miles (41.22 km) N | Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) | Santa Barbara, California, United States | |
| 2 | 38.85 miles (62.52 km) NNW | Santa Ynez Airport (SQA) | Santa Ynez, California, United States | |
| 3 | 41.62 miles (66.99 km) ENE | Oxnard Airport (OXR) | Oxnard, California, United States | |
| 4 | 45.61 miles (73.41 km) E | Naval Air Station Point Mugu (NTD) | Point Mugu, California, United States | |
| 5 | 52.35 miles (84.25 km) NW | Lompoc Airport (LPC) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 6 | 52.62 miles (84.69 km) ENE | Santa Paula Airport (SZP) | Santa Paula, California, United States | |
| 7 | 59.51 miles (95.77 km) NW | Vandenberg Air Force Base (VBG) | Lompoc, California, United States | |
| 8 | 65.65 miles (105.65 km) NNW | Santa Maria Public Airport (SMX) | Santa Maria, California, United States | |
| 9 | 82.14 miles (132.20 km) E | Van Nuys Airport (VNY) | Van Nuys, California, United States | |
| 10 | 83.86 miles (134.95 km) E | Santa Monica Airport (SMO) | Santa Monica, California, United States | |
| 11 | 86.70 miles (139.53 km) E | Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| 12 | 86.94 miles (139.92 km) E | Whiteman Airport (WHP) | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| 13 | 89.54 miles (144.10 km) E | Bob Hope Airport (BUR) | Burbank, California, United States | |
| 14 | 91.00 miles (146.44 km) E | Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) | Hawthorne, California, United States | |
| 15 | 91.18 miles (146.74 km) NNW | San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,511.95 miles (18,526.64 km) SSE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 2 | 11,485.01 miles (18,483.29 km) SSE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 3 | 11,483.63 miles (18,481.06 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 4 | 11,432.72 miles (18,399.13 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,428.34 miles (18,392.09 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,310.89 miles (18,203.07 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,296.50 miles (18,179.90 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 8 | 11,260.28 miles (18,121.62 km) SE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,152.37 miles (17,947.95 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,138.79 miles (17,926.10 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,127.68 miles (17,908.22 km) SE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,124.00 miles (17,902.30 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,112.07 miles (17,883.09 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 11,103.17 miles (17,868.77 km) SSE | Sainte Marie Airport (SMS) | Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 11,091.75 miles (17,850.40 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |