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DSM to RCA: distance & flight time
Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport) → Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base)
511 mi
822 km · 444 nm
1h 35m
estimated nonstop flight time
-1h
time difference · heading northwest
See live DSM→RCA fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
511 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 35m gate to gate, flying northwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DSM — Des Moines International Airport · Des Moines, 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 DSM
- OTM · Ottumwa Regional Airport70 mi away
- FOD · Fort Dodge Regional Airport75 mi away
- ALO · Waterloo Regional Airport96 mi away
- CID · The Eastern Iowa Airport104 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 DSM from RCA?
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Rapid City (RCA) is 511 miles (822 km, 444 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DSM to RCA?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 35m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Des Moines and Rapid City?
Rapid City is 1 hour behind Des Moines.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DSM to RCA?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DSM–RCA that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.