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SMX to MER: distance & flight time
Santa Maria (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field) → Merced (Castle Airport)
172 mi
276 km · 149 nm
55m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading north
See live SMX→MER fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
172 miles nonstop takes roughly 55m 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
- MER — Castle Airport · 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 MER
- MCE · Merced Regional Macready Field7 mi away
- MOD · Modesto City Co-Harry Sham Field27 mi away
- RMY · Mariposa Yosemite Airport30 mi away
- MAE · Madera Municipal Airport37 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is SMX from MER?
The flight distance from Santa Maria (SMX) to Merced (MER) is 172 miles (276 km, 149 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMX to MER?
A nonstop flight takes about 55m 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 MER?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMX–MER that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.