Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,470 miles (or 12,022 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 Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International 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 Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport. 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• 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.
• To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
• 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 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.

Facts about Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC):

• Because of Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport's relatively low elevation of 170 feet, planes can take off or land at Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum 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.
• Due to the massive physical scale of the masterplan, some claim that the Al Maktoum International Airport is be the most ambitious airport ever envisioned.
• The furthest airport from Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,789 miles (18,973 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• At the time of its opening, three cargo service airlines served Al Maktoum International Airport, including RUS Aviation, Aerospace Consortium and European Cargo Services.
• Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Dubai World Central - Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is Dubai International Airport (DXB), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) NNE of DWC.
• The airport is planned to have five 4,900 m parallel runways, with a large passenger complex in the middle.
• Upon completion it will be the second largest airport in land area.