Nonstop flight route between Portland, Oregon, United States and Atwater, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from PDX to MER:
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- About this route
- PDX Airport Information
- MER Airport Information
- Facts about PDX
- Facts about MER
- Map of Nearest Airports to PDX
- List of Nearest Airports to PDX
- Map of Furthest Airports from PDX
- List of Furthest Airports from PDX
- Map of Nearest Airports to MER
- List of Nearest Airports to MER
- Map of Furthest Airports from MER
- List of Furthest Airports from MER
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Portland International Airport (PDX), Portland, Oregon, United States and Castle Airport (MER), Atwater, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 577 miles (or 928 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 Portland International Airport and Castle Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PDX / KPDX |
Airport Name: | Portland International Airport |
Location: | Portland, Oregon, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 45°35'18"N by 122°35'50"W |
Area Served: | Portland metropolitan area |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 30 feet (9 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from PDX |
More Information: | PDX Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Portland International Airport (PDX):
- Because of Portland International Airport's relatively low elevation of 30 feet, planes can take off or land at Portland 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.
- Portland International Airport (PDX) has 3 runways.
- During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces.
- The April 1957 OAG shows 38 United departures a day, 10 West Coast, 8 Northwest and 6 Western.
- Portland International Airport handled 1,502,956 passengers last year.
- Concourses A and B are given mostly to Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.
- The furthest airport from Portland International Airport (PDX) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,903 miles (17,546 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- The closest airport to Portland International Airport (PDX) is Portland-Troutdale Airport (TTD), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ESE of PDX.
Facts about Castle Airport (MER):
- 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.
- 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.
- Castle Airport (MER) currently has only 1 runway.
- 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.
- With its central location in the San Joaquin Valley, on the route of the proposed California High-Speed Rail system, and with a large, underdeveloped site, Castle Airport has been submitted as a possible location for the central maintenance facility for the system.
- The furthest airport from Castle Airport (MER) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,312 miles (18,204 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.