Nonstop flight route between Denver, Colorado, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 307 miles (or 494 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 relatively short distance between Denver International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Denver International Airport (DEN):

• DIA's sixth runway is the longest commercial precision-instrument runway in North America with a length of 16,000 feet.
• Denver International Airport (DEN) has 6 runways.
• Both during construction and after its opening Denver International Airport has set aside a portion of its construction and operation budgets for art.
• The closest airport to Denver International Airport (DEN) is Centennial Airport (APA), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) SSW of DEN.
• Denver International Airport handled 52,556,359 passengers last year.
• Because of Denver International Airport's high elevation of 5,431 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DEN. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DEN a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• In April 1994, the city invited reporters to observe the first test of the new automated baggage system.
• Other DIA Art Commissions have been awarded to acclaimed artists as Leo Tanguma.
• The airport's computerized baggage system, which was supposed to reduce delays, shorten waiting times at luggage carousels, and cut airline labor costs, was an unmitigated failure.
• The furthest airport from Denver International Airport (DEN) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,877 miles (17,505 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• The closest airport to Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) S of RCA.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• The furthest airport from Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,579 miles (17,026 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.