Nonstop flight route between Palo Alto, California, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(37°27'39"N by 122°6'53"W)
Arrival Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Distance from PAO to RCA:
1,094.28 miles (1,761.07 km)
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- About this route
- PAO Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about PAO
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to PAO
- List of Nearest Airports to PAO
- Map of Furthest Airports from PAO
- List of Furthest Airports from PAO
- 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 Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO), Palo Alto, California, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,094 miles (or 1,761 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 Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County 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: | PAO / KPAO |
| Airport Name: | Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County |
| Location: | Palo Alto, California, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 37°27'39"N by 122°6'53"W |
| Operator/Owner: | County of Santa Clara |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 4 feet (1 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PAO |
| More Information: | PAO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| 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 Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO):
- The airport was opened to the public in April 1940.
- Because of Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County's relatively low elevation of 4 feet, planes can take off or land at Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County 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 furthest airport from Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,365 miles (18,289 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County (PAO) is Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ), which is located only 5 miles (8 kilometers) SE of PAO.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
- Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 4.85 miles (7.81 km) SE | Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ) | Mountain View, California, United States |     |
| 2 | 12.25 miles (19.72 km) ESE | Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 3 | 13.67 miles (22.00 km) N | Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) | Hayward, California, United States | |
| 4 | 17.94 miles (28.87 km) NW | San Francisco International Airport (SFO) | San Francisco, California, United States | |
| 5 | 18.47 miles (29.73 km) ESE | Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) | San Jose, California, United States | |
| 6 | 18.89 miles (30.41 km) NNW | Oakland International Airport (OAK) | Oakland (near San Francisco), California, United States | |
| 7 | 21.47 miles (34.56 km) W | Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF) | Half Moon Bay, California, United States | |
| 8 | 22.76 miles (36.62 km) NE | Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) | Livermore, California, United States | |
| 9 | 36.66 miles (59.00 km) N | Buchanan FieldConcord Army Air Base (CCR) | Concord, California, United States | |
| 10 | 40.47 miles (65.13 km) SSE | Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI) | Watsonville, California, United States | |
| 11 | 52.74 miles (84.88 km) N | Napa County Airport (APC) | Napa, California, United States | |
| 12 | 52.95 miles (85.21 km) NNW | Marin County Airport (NOT) | Novato, California, United States | |
| 13 | 55.17 miles (88.79 km) SE | Hollister Municipal Airport (HLI) | Hollister, California, United States | |
| 14 | 55.29 miles (88.98 km) E | NASA Crows Landing Airport (NRC) | Crows Landing, California, United States | |
| 15 | 56.33 miles (90.65 km) N | Travis Air Force Base Fairfield-Suisun Army Airfield (SUU) | Fairfield, California, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,364.54 miles (18,289.40 km) SE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 2 | 11,312.01 miles (18,204.87 km) S | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 3 | 11,283.08 miles (18,158.32 km) S | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 4 | 11,263.27 miles (18,126.43 km) SE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 5 | 11,260.00 miles (18,121.17 km) S | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 6 | 11,177.10 miles (17,987.75 km) SSE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| 7 | 11,169.97 miles (17,976.28 km) SSW | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 8 | 11,156.35 miles (17,954.37 km) SSE | Fianarantsoa Airport (WFI) | Fianarantsoa, Madagascar | |
| 9 | 11,064.70 miles (17,806.86 km) SE | Andavadoaka Airport (DVD) | Andavadoaka, Toliara province, Atsimo-Andrefana region, Madagascar | |
| 10 | 11,063.42 miles (17,804.81 km) SE | Manja Airport (MJA) | Manja, Menabe, Madagascar | |
| 11 | 11,048.60 miles (17,780.95 km) SE | Morombe Airport (MXM) | Morombe, Madagascar | |
| 12 | 11,004.18 miles (17,709.47 km) SSE | Toamasino Airport (TMM) | Toamasina, Madagascar | |
| 13 | 11,002.17 miles (17,706.24 km) SSE | Ivato International Airport (TNR) | Antananarivo, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,991.14 miles (17,688.48 km) SE | Miandrivazo Airport (ZVA) | Miandrivazo, Madagascar | |
| 15 | 10,969.47 miles (17,653.61 km) SE | Belo sur Tsiribihina Airport (BMD) | Belo sur Tsiribihina, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States | |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |