Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(28°37'35"N by 17°45'20"W)
Distance from RCA to SPC:
4,653.50 miles (7,489.06 km)
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- SPC Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about SPC
- 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 SPC
- List of Nearest Airports to SPC
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPC
- List of Furthest Airports from SPC
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and La Palma Airport (SPC), La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,653 miles (or 7,489 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 La Palma 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 La Palma 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: | SPC / GCLA |
| Airport Name: | La Palma Airport |
| Location: | La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain |
| GPS Coordinates: | 28°37'35"N by 17°45'20"W |
| Area Served: | La Palma |
| Operator/Owner: | Aeropuertos Españoles y Navegación Aérea |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 108 feet (33 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPC |
| More Information: | SPC Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
- On 15 July 1945, the 225th AAFBU was inactivated and Rapid City AAB was placed on standby status as the Army Air Forces began to demobilize.
- The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
- 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 addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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.
- 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 La Palma Airport (SPC):
- La Palma Airport (SPC) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of La Palma Airport's relatively low elevation of 108 feet, planes can take off or land at La Palma 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 furthest airport from La Palma Airport (SPC) is Lord Howe Island Airport (LDH), which is nearly antipodal to La Palma Airport (meaning La Palma Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Lord Howe Island Airport), and is located 12,161 miles (19,570 kilometers) away in Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia.
- The closest airport to La Palma Airport (SPC) is La Gomera Airport (GMZ), which is located 53 miles (85 kilometers) SE of SPC.
| 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 | 52.74 miles (84.88 km) SE | La Gomera Airport (GMZ) | Alajeró / San Sebastián, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 2 | 82.42 miles (132.64 km) ESE | Tenerife-South Airport (TFS) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 3 | 86.38 miles (139.01 km) E | Tenerife North Airport (TFN) | Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 4 | 151.91 miles (244.48 km) ESE | Gran Canaria Airport (LPA) | Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 5 | 236.51 miles (380.62 km) E | Fuerteventura Airport (FUE) | Puerto del Rosario, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 6 | 252.27 miles (405.99 km) E | Lanzarote Airport (ACE) | Arrecife, Canary Islands, Spain | |
| 7 | 286.99 miles (461.87 km) NNE | Madeira Airport (FNC) | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 8 | 295.15 miles (474.99 km) ESE | Hassan I Airport El Aaiún Airport (EUN) | El Aaiún (Laayoune), Morocco | |
| 9 | 318.19 miles (512.08 km) NNE | Porto Santo Airport (PXO) | Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal | |
| 10 | 357.47 miles (575.29 km) SSE | Dakhla Airport (VIL) | Dakhla, Western Sahara | |
| 11 | 400.40 miles (644.37 km) E | Tan Tan Airport (TTA) | Tan-Tan, Morocco | |
| 12 | 515.21 miles (829.14 km) ENE | Agadir – Al Massira Airport (AGA) | Agadir, Morocco | |
| 13 | 516.96 miles (831.96 km) SE | Fderik Airport (FGD) | Fderik, Mauritania | |
| 14 | 519.44 miles (835.95 km) ENE | Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU) | Essaouira, Morocco | |
| 15 | 533.50 miles (858.58 km) S | Nouadhibou International Airport (NDB) | Nouadhibou, Mauritania | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,160.54 miles (19,570.44 km) SE | Lord Howe Island Airport (LDH) | Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 2 | 12,091.02 miles (19,458.56 km) W | Norfolk Island Airport (NLK) | Norfolk Island, Australia | |
| 3 | 11,923.90 miles (19,189.61 km) SSW | Nouméa Magenta Airport (GEA) | Nouméa, New Caledonia | |
| 4 | 11,917.19 miles (19,178.81 km) SSW | Tontouta International Airport (NOU) | Noumea, New Caledonia | |
| 5 | 11,910.65 miles (19,168.29 km) E | Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK) | Ballina, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 6 | 11,904.78 miles (19,158.83 km) E | Gold Coast Airport (OOL) | Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia | |
| 7 | 11,901.96 miles (19,154.31 km) E | Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome (EVH) | Evans Head, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 8 | 11,892.39 miles (19,138.90 km) E | Lismore Airport (LSY) | Lismore, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 9 | 11,888.93 miles (19,133.32 km) SSW | Koné Airport (KNQ) | Koné, New Caledonia | |
| 10 | 11,875.68 miles (19,112.00 km) E | Clarence Valley Regional Airport (GFN) | Grafton, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 11 | 11,875.59 miles (19,111.87 km) ESE | Coffs Harbour Airport (CFS) | Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia | |
| 12 | 11,873.64 miles (19,108.72 km) E | Brisbane Airport (BNE) | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | |
| 13 | 11,864.13 miles (19,093.41 km) SSW | Koumac Airport (KOC) | Koumac, New Caledonia | |
| 14 | 11,863.89 miles (19,093.04 km) E | Caloundra Airport (CUD) | Caloundra, Queensland, Australia | |
| 15 | 11,859.45 miles (19,085.88 km) ESE | Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY) | Marcoola, Queensland, Australia | |