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VBG to MCE: distance & flight time
Lompoc (Vandenberg Air Force Base) → Merced (Merced Regional Macready Field)
176 mi
283 km · 153 nm
56m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading north
See live VBG→MCE fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
176 miles nonstop takes roughly 56m 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
- VBG — Vandenberg Air Force Base · Lompoc, 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 VBG
- LPC · Lompoc Airport8 mi away
- SMX · Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field13 mi away
- SQA · Santa Ynez Airport30 mi away
- SBP · San Luis County Regional Airport35 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 VBG from MCE?
The flight distance from Lompoc (VBG) to Merced (MCE) is 176 miles (283 km, 153 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from VBG to MCE?
A nonstop flight takes about 56m 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 VBG to MCE?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on VBG–MCE that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.