Nonstop flight route between Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(45°24'15"N by 141°48'7"E)
Arrival Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Distance from WKJ to RCA:
5,086.41 miles (8,185.76 km)
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- About this route
- WKJ Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about WKJ
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to WKJ
- List of Nearest Airports to WKJ
- Map of Furthest Airports from WKJ
- List of Furthest Airports from WKJ
- 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 Wakkanai Airport (WKJ), Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,086 miles (or 8,186 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 Wakkanai 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 Wakkanai 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: | WKJ / RJCW |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Wakkanai, Hokkaido, Japan |
| GPS Coordinates: | 45°24'15"N by 141°48'7"E |
| Operator/Owner: | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 27 feet (8 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from WKJ |
| More Information: | WKJ 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 Wakkanai Airport (WKJ):
- Because of Wakkanai Airport's relatively low elevation of 27 feet, planes can take off or land at Wakkanai 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.
- Wakkanai is the northernmost airport in Japan which is capable of handling jet aircraft.
- In 1987, the 1,200 m main runway was extended to 1,800 m, allowing All Nippon Airways to begin jet service to Tokyo.
- Wakkanai Airport (WKJ) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Wakkanai Airport (WKJ) is Port Stanley Airport (PSY), which is located 11,446 miles (18,420 kilometers) away in Stanley, Falkland Islands, United Kingdom.
- In addition to being known as "Wakkanai Airport", other names for WKJ include "稚内空港" and "Wakkanai Kūkō".
- The closest airport to Wakkanai Airport (WKJ) is Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE), which is located 109 miles (176 kilometers) SE of WKJ.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
- Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
- 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.
- Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 109.25 miles (175.82 km) SE | Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport (MBE) | Monbetsu, Hokkaidō, Japan |     |
| 2 | 111.49 miles (179.42 km) NNE | Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Airport (UUS) | Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin Island, Russia | |
| 3 | 123.92 miles (199.44 km) SSE | Asahikawa Airport (AKJ) | Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan | |
| 4 | 156.73 miles (252.23 km) SE | Memanbetsu Airport (MMB) | Kitami, Japan | |
| 5 | 181.74 miles (292.48 km) S | New Chitose Airport (CTS) | Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan | |
| 6 | 197.46 miles (317.79 km) SSE | Tokachi-Obihiro Airport (OBO) | Obihiro, Tokachi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan | |
| 7 | 200.37 miles (322.46 km) SE | Nakashibetsu Airport (SHB) | Nakashibetsu, Japan | |
| 8 | 201.68 miles (324.58 km) SE | Kushiro Airport (KUH) | Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan | |
| 9 | 255.86 miles (411.76 km) SSW | Hakodate Airport (HKD) | Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan | |
| 10 | 258.84 miles (416.57 km) SSW | Okushiri Airport (OIR) | Okushiri, Okushiri Island, Hokkaido, Japan | |
| 11 | 325.41 miles (523.69 km) S | Misawa Air Base 三沢飛行場 Misawa Hikōjō (MSJ) | Misawa, Aomori, Japan | |
| 12 | 327.59 miles (527.21 km) S | Aomori Airport (AOJ) | Aomori, Japan | |
| 13 | 335.70 miles (540.26 km) S | JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base (HHE) | Hachinohe, Honshū, Japan | |
| 14 | 367.36 miles (591.21 km) SSW | Odate-Noshiro Airport (ONJ) | Kitaakita, Akita, Japan | |
| 15 | 379.03 miles (609.99 km) NW | Khabarovsk Novy Airport (KHV) | Khabarovsk, Russia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,445.74 miles (18,420.09 km) ESE | Port Stanley Airport (PSY) | Stanley, Falkland Islands, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 11,415.57 miles (18,371.54 km) ESE | RAF Mount Pleasant (MPN) | Falkland Islands | |
| 3 | 11,315.45 miles (18,210.41 km) ESE | Astor Piazzolla International Airport (MDQ) | Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | |
| 4 | 11,312.85 miles (18,206.22 km) ESE | Miramar Airport (MJR) | Miramar, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 5 | 11,312.37 miles (18,205.44 km) ESE | Villa Gesell Airport (VLG) | Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 6 | 11,288.52 miles (18,167.06 km) ESE | Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport (PDP) | Maldonado/Punta del Este, Maldonado, Uruguay | |
| 7 | 11,278.58 miles (18,151.07 km) ESE | Necochea Airport (NEC) | Necochea, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 8 | 11,251.41 miles (18,107.34 km) SE | Rio Grande Regional Airport (RIG) | Rio Grande, Brazil | |
| 9 | 11,249.44 miles (18,104.17 km) ESE | Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport (MVD) | Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay | |
| 10 | 11,234.00 miles (18,079.33 km) SE | Treinta y Tres Airport (TYT) | Treinta y Tres, Treinta y Tres, Uruguay | |
| 11 | 11,225.06 miles (18,064.93 km) SE | Pelotas International Airport (PET) | Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | |
| 12 | 11,212.93 miles (18,045.42 km) ESE | Tandil Airport (TDL) | Tandil, Argentina | |
| 13 | 11,204.74 miles (18,032.24 km) ESE | Tres Arroyos Airport (OYO) | Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina | |
| 14 | 11,193.41 miles (18,014.00 km) SE | Cerro Largo International Airport (MLZ) | Melo, Cerro Largo, Uruguay | |
| 15 | 11,177.21 miles (17,987.93 km) ESE | La Plata Airport (LPG) | La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 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 | |