Nonstop flight route between Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Merced, California, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Viru Viru International Airport (VVI), Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Merced Regional Airport (MCE), Merced, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,320 miles (or 8,561 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 Viru Viru International Airport and Merced Regional 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 Viru Viru International Airport and Merced Regional 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 Viru Viru International Airport (VVI):

• The furthest airport from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) is San Fernando Airport (SFE), which is nearly antipodal to Viru Viru International Airport (meaning Viru Viru International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from San Fernando Airport), and is located 12,198 miles (19,631 kilometers) away in San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines.
• On 1 March 1997 the Government of Bolivia entered into a 25-year contract with Airport Group International to operate the three largest airports in Bolivia – El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Jorge Wilstermann International Airport in Cochabamba and Viru Viru International Airport.
• A new modern airport for Santa Cruz was conceived in 1976, to replace the obsolete El Trompillo Airport.
• Viru Viru is able to handle the largest commercial jets and handles domestic, regional, and international flights from North America and Europe.
• Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) is El Trompillo Airport (SRZ), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) SSW of VVI.

Facts about Merced Regional Airport (MCE):

• The airport was formerly served by Air Pacific, American Eagle, Golden Gate Airlines, United Airlines, United Express and US Airways Express.
• Merced Regional Airport (MCE) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Castle Airport (MER), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) NNW of MCE.
• The furthest airport from Merced Regional Airport (MCE) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,314 miles (18,209 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
• The airport had 3,724 passenger boardings in 2012, an increase of 17% from the previous calendar year.
• Merced Regional Airport covers 766 acres at an elevation of 155 feet above mean sea level.
• On May 15, 2011 Great Lakes Airlines commenced daily service to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, with a stop in Visalia, California.
• In addition to being known as "Merced Regional Airport", another name for MCE is "MacReady Field".
• Because of Merced Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 155 feet, planes can take off or land at Merced Regional 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.
• During the 1950s the airport was used to service United States Armed Forces aircraft, and a land acquisition in February 1955 allowed runway 12/30 to be extended.