Nonstop flight route between Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(15°7'8"N by 145°43'45"E)
Arrival Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Distance from SPN to RCA:
6,490.97 miles (10,446.18 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- SPN Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about SPN
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to SPN
- List of Nearest Airports to SPN
- Map of Furthest Airports from SPN
- List of Furthest Airports from SPN
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Saipan International Airport (SPN), Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,491 miles (or 10,446 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 Saipan International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, 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 Saipan International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | SPN / PGSN |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands |
| GPS Coordinates: | 15°7'8"N by 145°43'45"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Commonwealth Ports Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 215 feet (66 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from SPN |
| More Information: | SPN Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Saipan International Airport (SPN):
- The airfield was liberated by the United States Army 27th Infantry Division on June 18, 1944 during the Battle of Saipan.
- The furthest airport from Saipan International Airport (SPN) is Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho) (SSA), which is nearly antipodal to Saipan International Airport (meaning Saipan International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho)), and is located 12,125 miles (19,514 kilometers) away in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
- In addition to being known as "Saipan International Airport", other names for SPN include "Francisco C. Ada Airport" and "GSN".
- SPN was a sugarcane field before the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service constructed a temporary landing field on the site in 1933.
- Saipan International Airport commenced operation on 25 July 1976 taking over from the nearby Kobler Field.Continental Micronesia initially had its main hub at Kobler Field and then Saipan Airport.
- Because of Saipan International Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Saipan 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 closest airport to Saipan International Airport (SPN) is Tinian International Airport (TIQ), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SW of SPN.
- Saipan International Airport (SPN) currently has only 1 runway.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
- 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.
- An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
- 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.
- The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
- 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 mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11.06 miles (17.80 km) SW | Tinian International Airport (TIQ) | Tinian Island, Northern Mariana Islands |     |
| 2 | 72.92 miles (117.36 km) SSW | Rota International Airport (ROP) | Rota Island, Northern Mariana Islands | |
| 3 | 119.13 miles (191.72 km) SSW | Andersen Air Force Base (UAM) | Agana, Guam | |
| 4 | 129.06 miles (207.70 km) SSW | Guam International Airport (GUM) | Hagåtña, Guam | |
| 5 | 533.30 miles (858.26 km) SW | Falalop Airfield (ULI) | Falalop Island, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 6 | 645.75 miles (1,039.22 km) SW | Yap International Airport (YAP) | Yap, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 7 | 671.70 miles (1,081.00 km) SE | Chuuk International Airport (TKK) | Weno, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 8 | 726.36 miles (1,168.96 km) NNW | Central Field (Iwo Jima)Motoyama No. 2Airfield No. 2 (IWO) | Iwo Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan | |
| 9 | 829.80 miles (1,335.42 km) NE | Minamitorishima Air Field (MUS) | Minami-Tori-shima, Japan | |
| 10 | 927.56 miles (1,492.75 km) SW | Roman Tmetuchl International Airport (ROR) | Koror, Palau | |
| 11 | 1,015.16 miles (1,633.73 km) ESE | Pohnpei International Airport (PNI) | Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia | |
| 12 | 1,146.10 miles (1,844.46 km) E | Enewetak Auxiliary Airfield (ENT) | Enewetak, Marshall Islands | |
| 13 | 1,192.41 miles (1,919.00 km) NW | Minami-Daito Airport (MMD) | Minami Daito, Okinawa, Japan | |
| 14 | 1,192.72 miles (1,919.50 km) S | Momote Airport (MAS) | Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea | |
| 15 | 1,193.19 miles (1,920.24 km) NW | Kitadaito Airport (KTD) | Kitadaito, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,125.20 miles (19,513.57 km) ESE | Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (2 de Julho) (SSA) | Salvador, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 2 | 12,118.20 miles (19,502.30 km) E | Ilhéus/Bahia-Jorge Amado Airport (IOS) | Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 3 | 12,104.44 miles (19,480.16 km) ESE | Porto Seguro Airport (BPS) | Porto Seguro, Brazil | |
| 4 | 12,094.54 miles (19,464.23 km) SE | Aracaju–Santa Maria Airport (AJU) | Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil | |
| 5 | 12,036.52 miles (19,370.86 km) SSE | Maceió/Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport (MCZ) | Maceió, Brazil | |
| 6 | 11,996.47 miles (19,306.39 km) E | Pedro Otacílio Figueiredo Airport (VDC) | Vitória da Conquista, Brazil | |
| 7 | 11,951.65 miles (19,234.27 km) S | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport (REC) | Recife, Brazil | |
| 8 | 11,932.95 miles (19,204.17 km) ESE | Coronel Horácio de Mattos Airport (LEC) | Lençõis, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,905.05 miles (19,159.28 km) SE | Vitória-Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport (Goiabeiras) (VIX) | Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil | |
| 10 | 11,884.00 miles (19,125.40 km) S | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA) | João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 11 | 11,883.39 miles (19,124.42 km) SSE | Presidente João Suassuna Airport (CPV) | Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,866.48 miles (19,097.20 km) E | Guanambi Airport (GNM) | Guanambi, Bahia, Brazil | |
| 13 | 11,864.21 miles (19,093.54 km) ESE | Coronel Altino Machado de Oliveira Airport (GVR) | Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, Brazil | |
| 14 | 11,853.53 miles (19,076.36 km) SE | Petrolina–Senador Nilo Coelho Airport (PNZ) | Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil | |
| 15 | 11,834.75 miles (19,046.13 km) SE | Raimundo de Andrade Airport (CDI) | Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil | |
| 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 | |