Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and 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 International Airport (DXB), Dubai, United Arab Emirates would travel a Great Circle distance of 7,451 miles (or 11,992 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 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 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):

• 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 1986, the base and the 28 BMW made extensive preparations to phase out the aging B-52 fleet and become the second home for the advanced B-1B Lancer.
• 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.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• 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 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.

Facts about Dubai International Airport (DXB):

• The closest airport to Dubai International Airport (DXB) is Sharjah International Airport (SHJ), which is located only 11 miles (17 kilometers) ENE of DXB.
• Dubai International Airport handled 66,431,533 passengers last year.
• Because of Dubai International Airport's relatively low elevation of 62 feet, planes can take off or land at Dubai 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 Government of Dubai provides short and long range search and rescue services, police support, medical evacuation and general purpose flights for the airport and all VIP flights to the airport.
• The next phase of development was the second runway, which was completed three months ahead of schedule and opened in April 1984.
• In addition to being known as "Dubai International Airport", another name for DXB is "مطار دبي الدولي".
• With the arrival of the Airbus A380, the airport made modifications costing $230 million.
• The furthest airport from Dubai International Airport (DXB) is Totegegie Airport (GMR), which is located 11,774 miles (18,948 kilometers) away in Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia.
• In May 1963 construction of a 9,200 ft asphalt runway started.
• Dubai International Airport (DXB) has 2 runways.
• In the 1940s flying from Dubai was by flying boats operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation, operating the Horseshoe line from Southern Africa via the Persian Gulf to Sydney.