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CIU to RCA: distance & flight time
Sault Ste Marie (Chippewa County International Airport) → Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base)
917 mi
1,475 km · 796 nm
2h 28m
estimated nonstop flight time
-2h
time difference · heading west
See live CIU→RCA fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
917 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 28m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 2-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- CIU — Chippewa County International Airport · Sault Ste Marie, United States
- RCA — Ellsworth Air Force Base · Rapid City, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near CIU
- YAM · Sault Ste Marie Airport16 mi away
- DRE · Drummond Island Airport39 mi away
- PLN · Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County Airport49 mi away
- GLR · Gaylord Regional Airport86 mi away
Near RCA
- RAP · Rapid City Regional Airport7 mi away
- SPF · Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field41 mi away
- CDR · Chadron Municipal Airport90 mi away
- GCC · Gillette Campbell County Airport121 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is CIU from RCA?
The flight distance from Sault Ste Marie (CIU) to Rapid City (RCA) is 917 miles (1,475 km, 796 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from CIU to RCA?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 28m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from CIU to RCA?
Nonstop service on CIU–RCA depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 2h 28m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Sault Ste Marie and Rapid City?
Rapid City is 2 hours behind Sault Ste Marie.
What is the cheapest way to fly from CIU to RCA?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on CIU–RCA that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some CIU to RCA fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain CIU–RCA tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.