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):

• 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.
• Denver International Airport (DEN) has 6 runways.
• During the blizzard of March 17–19, 2003, heavy snow tore a hole in the terminal's white fabric roof.
• The airport is 25 miles driving distance from downtown Denver, which is 19 miles further away than Stapleton International Airport, the airport it replaced.
• From 1980 to 1983, the Denver Regional Council of Governments investigated six areas for a new metro area airport which were north and east of Denver.
• The automated baggage system never worked as designed, and in August 2005 it became public knowledge that United would abandon the system, a decision that would save them $1 million per month in maintenance costs.
• 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 closest airport to Denver International Airport (DEN) is Centennial Airport (APA), which is located 22 miles (36 kilometers) SSW of DEN.
• 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.
• All international flights requiring customs and immigration services currently fly into Concourse A.
• Denver International Airport handled 52,556,359 passengers last year.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• After the Army closed their facilities, the military housing at the Nike Integrated Fire Control sites was transferred to control of Ellsworth, and was used as Air Force military family housing until about 1990.
• 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.
• 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.
• The base experienced one of its worst peacetime tragedies in March 1953 when an RB-36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe.
• The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• On 2 January 1942, the U.S.
• In 1986, the base and the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B-52 fleet and become the second home for the advanced B-1B Lancer.