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RCA to MEL: distance & flight time
Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base) → Melbourne (Melbourne International Airport)
8,962 mi
14,423 km · 7,788 nm
18h 2m
estimated nonstop flight time
+16h
time difference · heading west
See live RCA→MEL fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
8,962 miles nonstop takes roughly 18h 2m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 16-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- RCA — Ellsworth Air Force Base · Rapid City, United States
- MEL — Melbourne International Airport · Melbourne, Australia
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 MEL
- MEB · Melbourne Essendon Airport5 mi away
- MBW · Melbourne Moorabbin Airport25 mi away
- AVV · Avalon Airport32 mi away
- GEX · Geelong Airport47 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is RCA from MEL?
The flight distance from Rapid City (RCA) to Melbourne (MEL) is 8,962 miles (14,423 km, 7,788 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from RCA to MEL?
A nonstop flight takes about 18h 2m 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 Melbourne?
Melbourne is 16 hours ahead of Rapid City.
What is the cheapest way to fly from RCA to MEL?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on RCA–MEL that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.