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SMX to MCE: distance & flight time
Santa Maria (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field) → Merced (Merced Regional Macready Field)
165 mi
265 km · 143 nm
54m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading north
See live SMX→MCE fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
165 miles nonstop takes roughly 54m gate to gate, flying north. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Both airports share the same local time, so schedules read exactly as flown.
The two airports
- SMX — Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field · Santa Maria, United States
- MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field · Merced, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near SMX
- VBG · Vandenberg Air Force Base13 mi away
- LPC · Lompoc Airport16 mi away
- SBP · San Luis County Regional Airport26 mi away
- SQA · Santa Ynez Airport30 mi away
Near MCE
- MER · Castle Airport7 mi away
- RMY · Mariposa Yosemite Airport30 mi away
- MAE · Madera Municipal Airport30 mi away
- MOD · Modesto City Co-Harry Sham Field34 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is SMX from MCE?
The flight distance from Santa Maria (SMX) to Merced (MCE) is 165 miles (265 km, 143 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMX to MCE?
A nonstop flight takes about 54m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMX to MCE?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMX–MCE that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.