Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W)
Distance from RCA to AFA:
5,859.80 miles (9,430.41 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- AFA Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about AFA
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to AFA
- List of Nearest Airports to AFA
- Map of Furthest Airports from AFA
- List of Furthest Airports from AFA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and San Rafael Airport (AFA), San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,860 miles (or 9,430 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base and San Rafael Airport, 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base and San Rafael Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | AFA / SAMR |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina |
| GPS Coordinates: | 34°35'17"S by 68°24'12"W |
| Area Served: | San Rafael, Mendoza Province, Argentina |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 2470 feet (753 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from AFA |
| More Information: | AFA Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (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.
- Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
- 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.
- Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
- 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.
Facts about San Rafael Airport (AFA):
- The furthest airport from San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA), which is nearly antipodal to San Rafael Airport (meaning San Rafael Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Luoyang Beijiao Airport), and is located 12,391 miles (19,941 kilometers) away in Luoyang, Henan, China.
- In addition to being known as "San Rafael Airport", another name for AFA is "Aeropuerto San Rafael "Santiago Germano"".
- San Rafael Airport (AFA) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to San Rafael Airport (AFA) is Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS), which is located 91 miles (147 kilometers) SW of AFA.
| 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 | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 91.09 miles (146.59 km) SW | Comodoro D. Ricardo Salomón Airport (LGS) | Malargüe, Mendoza, Argentina | |
| 2 | 123.40 miles (198.59 km) N | Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport (MDZ) | Mendoza, Mendoza Province, Argentina | |
| 3 | 148.57 miles (239.10 km) NE | Brigadier Mayor Cesar Raúl Ojeda Airport (LUQ) | San Luis, Argentina | |
| 4 | 159.49 miles (256.68 km) WNW | Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) | Santiago, Chile | |
| 5 | 186.41 miles (300.00 km) W | La Unión Airport (LUI) | La Unión, Honduras[disambiguation needed] | |
| 6 | 204.94 miles (329.82 km) N | Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport (UAQ) | San Juan Province, Argentina | |
| 7 | 209.76 miles (337.58 km) WNW | Viña del Mar Airport (KNA) | Viña del Mar, Chile | |
| 8 | 221.99 miles (357.26 km) SSW | Chos Malal Airport (HOS) | Chos Malal, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 9 | 231.70 miles (372.88 km) S | Colonia Catriel Airport (CCT) | Colonia Catriel, Río Negro, Argentina | |
| 10 | 246.02 miles (395.93 km) SW | General Bernardo O'Higgins Airport (YAI) | Chillán, Ñuble, Chile | |
| 11 | 262.17 miles (421.92 km) NE | Villa Dolores Airport (VDR) | Villa Dolores, Córdoba, Argentina | |
| 12 | 268.18 miles (431.59 km) SSW | Caviahue Airport (CVH) | Caviahue, Neuquén, Argentina | |
| 13 | 269.90 miles (434.36 km) ESE | Santa Rosa Airport (RSA) | Santa Rosa, Argentina | |
| 14 | 273.38 miles (439.96 km) ESE | General Pico Airport (GPO) | General Pico, La Pampa, Argentina | |
| 15 | 301.62 miles (485.40 km) S | Presidente Perón Internacional Airport (NQN) | Neuquen, Argentina | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,390.57 miles (19,940.64 km) WNW | Luoyang Beijiao Airport (LYA) | Luoyang, Henan, China | |
| 2 | 12,388.53 miles (19,937.35 km) NE | Yuncheng Guangong Airport (YCU) | Yuncheng, China | |
| 3 | 12,311.28 miles (19,813.04 km) NNW | Nanyang Jiangying Airport (NNY) | Nanyang, Henan, China | |
| 4 | 12,308.99 miles (19,809.36 km) W | Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (CGO) | Zhengzhou, Henan, China | |
| 5 | 12,295.01 miles (19,786.85 km) E | Xi'an Xiguan Airport (SIA) | Xi'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 6 | 12,293.40 miles (19,784.26 km) NW | Changzhi Wangcun Airport (CIH) | Changzhi, Shanxi, China | |
| 7 | 12,274.55 miles (19,753.92 km) E | Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) | Xianyang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 8 | 12,263.65 miles (19,736.38 km) NNW | Xiangyang Liuji Airport (XFN) | Xiangfan, Hubei, China | |
| 9 | 12,254.59 miles (19,721.81 km) NE | Yan'an Airport (ENY) | Yan'an, Shaanxi, China | |
| 10 | 12,235.88 miles (19,691.69 km) NE | Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) | Ankang, Shaanxi, China | |
| 11 | 12,228.83 miles (19,680.34 km) NW | Handan Airport (HDG) | Handan, Hebei, China | |
| 12 | 12,221.44 miles (19,668.46 km) N | Lüliang Airport (LLV) | Lüliang, Shanxi, China | |
| 13 | 12,220.07 miles (19,666.25 km) NNE | Shennongjia Hongping Airport (HPG) | Shennongjia, Hubei, China | |
| 14 | 12,212.37 miles (19,653.85 km) NW | Xingtai Dalian Airport (XNT) | Xingtai, Hebei, China | |
| 15 | 12,211.08 miles (19,651.78 km) NNW | Taiyuan Wuxu International Airport (TYN) | Taiyuan, Shanxi, China | |