Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(18°17'44"S by 137°1'0"W)
Distance from RCA to PUK:
4,817.41 miles (7,752.85 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- PUK Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about PUK
- 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 PUK
- List of Nearest Airports to PUK
- Map of Furthest Airports from PUK
- List of Furthest Airports from PUK
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Pukarua Airport (PUK), Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,817 miles (or 7,753 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 Pukarua 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 Pukarua 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: | PUK / NTGQ |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Pukarua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 18°17'44"S by 137°1'0"W |
| Area Served: | Pukarua |
| Operator/Owner: | DSEAC Polynésie Française |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from PUK |
| More Information: | PUK Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- The Titan I's life span was short in western South Dakota.
- 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 AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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.
- Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
Facts about Pukarua Airport (PUK):
- Pukarua Airport (PUK) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Pukarua Airport (PUK) is Abha Regional Airport (AHB), which is nearly antipodal to Pukarua Airport (meaning Pukarua Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Abha Regional Airport), and is located 12,415 miles (19,980 kilometers) away in Abha / Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia.
- In addition to being known as "Pukarua Airport", another name for PUK is "Aérodrome de Pukarua".
- The closest airport to Pukarua Airport (PUK) is Nukutavake Airport (NUK), which is located 134 miles (215 kilometers) WSW of PUK.
| 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 | 133.61 miles (215.02 km) WSW | Nukutavake Airport (NUK) | Nukutavake, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 2 | 198.53 miles (319.51 km) SSW | Tureira Airport (ZTA) | Tureia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 3 | 258.35 miles (415.77 km) W | Hao Airport (HOI) | Hao, Tuamotu Island, French Polynesia | |
| 4 | 307.56 miles (494.97 km) WNW | Fangatau Airport (FGU) | Fangatau, French Polynesia | |
| 5 | 358.40 miles (576.79 km) SSE | Totegegie Airport (GMR) | Mangareva, Gambier Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 6 | 392.46 miles (631.59 km) WNW | Raroia Airport (RRR) | Raroia, French Polynesia | |
| 7 | 453.12 miles (729.22 km) WNW | Makemo Airport (MKP) | Makemo, French Polynesia | |
| 8 | 562.56 miles (905.35 km) W | Anaa Airport (AAA) | Anaa, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 9 | 590.91 miles (950.97 km) WNW | Fakarava Airport (FAV) | Fakarava, Society Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 10 | 604.13 miles (972.24 km) NNW | Atuona Airport (AUQ) | Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia | |
| 11 | 648.86 miles (1,044.24 km) WNW | Apataki Airport (APK) | Apataki, French Polynesia | |
| 12 | 656.57 miles (1,056.64 km) WNW | Manihi Airport (XMH) | Manihi, French Polynesia | |
| 13 | 668.13 miles (1,075.25 km) WNW | Ahe Airport (AHE) | Ahe, French Polynesia | |
| 14 | 669.18 miles (1,076.93 km) WNW | Arutua Airport (AXR) | Arutua, Tuamotus, French Polynesia | |
| 15 | 809.51 miles (1,302.77 km) WNW | Mataiva Airport (MVT) | Mataiva, French Polynesia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,415.05 miles (19,980.03 km) E | Abha Regional Airport (AHB) | Abha / Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia | |
| 2 | 12,331.23 miles (19,845.14 km) WNW | Najran Domestic Airport (EAM) | Najran (Nejran), Saudi Arabia | |
| 3 | 12,317.76 miles (19,823.46 km) NNE | Bisha Domestic Airport (BHH) | Bisha, Saudi Arabia | |
| 4 | 12,272.96 miles (19,751.37 km) NNE | Al-Baha Domestic Airport (ABT) | Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia | |
| 5 | 12,225.55 miles (19,675.07 km) NNW | El Rahaba Airport (Sana'a International) (SAH) | Sana'a, Yemen | |
| 6 | 12,192.03 miles (19,621.12 km) N | Hodeida International Airport (HOD) | Al Hudaydah (Hodeida), Yemen | |
| 7 | 12,165.38 miles (19,578.23 km) NE | Ta'if Regional Airport (TIF) | Ta'if, Saudi Arabia | |
| 8 | 12,137.43 miles (19,533.25 km) NE | Massawa International Airport (MSW) | Massawa, Eritrea | |
| 9 | 12,133.84 miles (19,527.47 km) NW | Beihan Airport (BHN) | Beihan, Yemen | |
| 10 | 12,109.18 miles (19,487.78 km) NNW | Ta'izz International Airport (TAI) | Ta'izz, Yemen | |
| 11 | 12,096.78 miles (19,467.84 km) NE | Asmara International Airport (ASM) | Asmara, Eritrea | |
| 12 | 12,095.67 miles (19,466.05 km) NE | King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | |
| 13 | 12,075.16 miles (19,433.04 km) N | Assab International Airport (ASA) | Assab, Eritrea | |
| 14 | 12,073.79 miles (19,430.84 km) NW | Ataq Airport (AXK) | Ataq, Yemen | |
| 15 | 12,052.81 miles (19,397.07 km) ENE | Port Sudan New International Airport (PZU) | Port Sudan, Sudan | |