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RCA to DTW: distance & flight time
Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base) → Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport)
1,002 mi
1,612 km · 870 nm
2h 39m
estimated nonstop flight time
+2h
time difference · heading east
See live RCA→DTW fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,002 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 39m gate to gate, flying east. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 2-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- RCA — Ellsworth Air Force Base · Rapid City, United States
- DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport · Detroit, 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 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
Near DTW
- YIP · Willow Run Airport9 mi away
- ARB · Ann Arbor Municipal Airport20 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport21 mi away
- DET · Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport22 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is RCA from DTW?
The flight distance from Rapid City (RCA) to Detroit (DTW) is 1,002 miles (1,612 km, 870 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from RCA to DTW?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 39m 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 Rapid City and Detroit?
Detroit is 2 hours ahead of Rapid City.
What is the cheapest way to fly from RCA to DTW?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on RCA–DTW that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.