Nonstop flight route between Punta Arenas, Chile and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from PUQ to RCA:
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- About this route
- PUQ Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about PUQ
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to PUQ
- List of Nearest Airports to PUQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from PUQ
- List of Furthest Airports from PUQ
- 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ), Punta Arenas, Chile and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,979 miles (or 11,232 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport 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:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | PUQ / SCCI |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Punta Arenas, Chile |
GPS Coordinates: | 53°0'8"S by 70°51'15"W |
Area Served: | Punta Arenas, Chile |
Airport Type: | Public / Military |
Elevation: | 139 feet (42 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from PUQ |
More Information: | PUQ 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 Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ):
- Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) has 3 runways.
- The furthest airport from Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) is Baikal International Airport (UUD), which is nearly antipodal to Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (meaning Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Baikal International Airport), and is located 12,327 miles (19,839 kilometers) away in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia, Russia.
- Because of Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport's relatively low elevation of 139 feet, planes can take off or land at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport 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 closest airport to Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport (PUQ) is Teniente Julio Gallardo Airfield (PNT), which is located 116 miles (187 kilometers) NW of PUQ.
- In addition to being known as "Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport", another name for PUQ is "Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Carlos Ibáñez".
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.
- 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 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.
- On 1 June 1971, SAC deactivated the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division and by October of that year, an upgraded LGM-30F Minuteman II also replaced the Minuteman I missiles.