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RCA to PMD: distance & flight time
Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base) → Palmdale (Palmdale Regional/USAF Plant 42 Airport)
1,033 mi
1,662 km · 897 nm
2h 43m
estimated nonstop flight time
-1h
time difference · heading southwest
See live RCA→PMD fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,033 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 43m gate to gate, flying southwest. 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
- RCA — Ellsworth Air Force Base · Rapid City, United States
- PMD — Palmdale Regional/USAF Plant 42 Airport · Palmdale, 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 PMD
- LAX · Los Angeles International Airport51 mi away
- WJF · General WM J Fox Airfield11 mi away
- EDW · Edwards Air Force Base22 mi away
- MHV · Mojave Airport30 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is RCA from PMD?
The flight distance from Rapid City (RCA) to Palmdale (PMD) is 1,033 miles (1,662 km, 897 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from RCA to PMD?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 43m 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 RCA to PMD?
Nonstop service on RCA–PMD 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 43m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Rapid City and Palmdale?
Palmdale is 1 hour behind Rapid City.
What is the cheapest way to fly from RCA to PMD?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on RCA–PMD that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some RCA to PMD fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain RCA–PMD 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.