Nonstop flight route between Walt Disney World / Orlando, Florida, United States [1] and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DWS to RCA:
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- About this route
- DWS Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about DWS
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to DWS
- List of Nearest Airports to DWS
- Map of Furthest Airports from DWS
- List of Furthest Airports from DWS
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Walt Disney World Airport (DWS), Walt Disney World / Orlando, Florida, United States [1] and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,609 miles (or 2,589 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 Walt Disney World Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DWS / |
Airport Name: | Walt Disney World Airport |
Location: | Walt Disney World / Orlando, Florida, United States [1] |
GPS Coordinates: | 28°23'59"N by 81°34'17"W |
Operator/Owner: | Walt Disney Company |
Airport Type: | Private |
View all routes: | Routes from DWS |
More Information: | DWS Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Facts about Walt Disney World Airport (DWS):
- The furthest airport from Walt Disney World Airport (DWS) is Shark Bay Airport (MJK), which is located 11,490 miles (18,492 kilometers) away in Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia.
- The closest airport to Walt Disney World Airport (DWS) is Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SE of DWS.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a geographically separated unit that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
- 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 740th AC&W Squadron began operations in 1955 with AN/MPS-7 search radar, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station.
- Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
- 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.
- On 15 July 1945, the 225th AAFBU was inactivated and Rapid City AAB was placed on standby status as the Army Air Forces began to demobilize.