4/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“Very convenient and time saving to fly from Regional Airport Merced/ Yosemite.”
Shahid Sohail5★ on Google
Airports / California / MCE
Medium airport · MCE
Merced Regional Macready Field.
Merced, California · 155 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
62 ratings
0
Operators based
155
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Merced, CaliforniaELEV 155 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.2
Google rating
62
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
155
Field elevation
feet above sea level
6
Nearest alternate
nm to MER
Field standing
6 nm
To the nearest alternate
Castle Airport (MER), 3 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Located in Merced, California, Merced Regional Macready Field (KMCE / MCE) operates as a mid-sized airport. The airport sits 155 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into MCE for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Castle Airport (MER, 6 nm), Modesto City Co-Harry Sham Field (MOD, 29 nm), and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT, 49 nm). With a single 5,914-foot paved runway, MCE can typically accommodate aircraft as large as heavy jets.
Charter pricing from MCE depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Merced.
1 FBO serves KMCE. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Gateway Air Center
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Mon-Fri 8:00-17:00, line service 24/7
- Unicom 122.7
- Conference room
- Wi-Fi
- Vending
- Car rental
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Parking
- Fuel
- +4 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Brand new terminal and convenient and affordable flights to LAS and LAX”
julian rodriguez5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Merced Regional Macready Field, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KMCE
IATA
MCE
FAA / Local
MCE
Elevation
155 ft
Coordinates
37.2847° N · 120.5140° W
Airspace
E · EchoClass E, EchoControlled airspace reaches the surface for instrument approaches, but there is no control tower on the field.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs CA fields
state range -210–7,135 ft
At 155 ft, MCE sits lower than 62% of the 164 California fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 5,914 ft
- 12/305,914 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 5,914 ft
MCE's 5,914 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to heavy jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 6nmMERCastle AirportMerced
- 29nmMODModesto City Co-Harry Sham FieldModesto
- 49nmFATFresno Yosemite International AirportFresno
- 50nmSCKStockton Metropolitan AirportStockton
- 63nmNLCLemoore Naval Air Station (Reeves Field) AirportLemoore
- 64nmSNSSalinas Municipal AirportSalinas
Location
Open the full mapKMCE · Merced Regional Macready Field · Merced, CA
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from MCE on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (VNY) | 209 nm | 53m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 268 nm | 1h 1m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 450 nm | 1h 27m |
| Scottsdale (SCF) | 474 nm | 1h 30m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 585 nm | 1h 46m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 615 nm | 1h 50m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 653 nm | 1h 55m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 654 nm | 1h 55m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use MCE?
- Merced Regional Macready Field's longest paved runway is 5,914 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to heavy jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at MCE?
- Merced Regional Macready Field has one runway; the longest measures 5,914 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Merced Regional Macready Field?
- One FBO serves MCE: Gateway Air Center. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to MCE?
- The closest alternate is Castle Airport (MER), about 6 nm away, followed by Modesto City Co-Harry Sham Field (MOD) at 29 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from MCE to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Los Angeles about 53m (209 nm), Las Vegas about 1h 1m (268 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 27m (450 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.