Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Zakynthos, Greece:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH), Zakynthos, Greece would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,784 miles (or 9,309 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 Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos", 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 Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos". 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):

• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• On 1 June 1971, SAC deactivated the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division and by October of that year, an upgraded LGM-30F Minuteman II also replaced the Minuteman I missiles.
• The base experienced one of its worst peacetime tragedies in March 1953 when an RB-36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe.
• 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.

Facts about Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH):

• Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,440 miles (18,411 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" (ZTH) is Araxos Airport (GPA), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) NE of ZTH.
• Because of Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos"'s relatively low elevation of 15 feet, planes can take off or land at Zakynthos International Airport, "Dionysios Solomos" 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.