Nonstop flight route between Girona, Spain and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO), Girona, Spain and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,931 miles (or 7,936 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 large distance between Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava and Ellsworth Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO):

• Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava handled 2,736,867 passengers last year.
• The early 2000s saw passenger numbers grow spectacularly after Ryanair chose Girona as one of its European hubs.
• The furthest airport from Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (meaning Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,299 miles (19,793 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) is Sabadell Airport (QSA), which is located 43 miles (69 kilometers) SW of GRO.
• Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest main line railway station to the airport is in Girona.
• Because of Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava's relatively low elevation of 469 feet, planes can take off or land at Girona–Costa Brava Airport Aeroport de Girona-Costa Brava at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The airport was built in 1965, but passenger traffic was modest.
• Alongside being an alternative option to Barcelona Airport, Girona Airport is convenient for the resorts along the Costa Brava, such as Lloret de Mar, l'Estartit and Blanes.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• 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 addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• 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 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.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• Air Defense Command activated the 740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Rapid City AFB on 1 February 1953 under the ADC 31st Air Division.