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SMX to RCA: distance & flight time
Santa Maria (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field) → Rapid City (Ellsworth Air Force Base)
1,120 mi
1,803 km · 974 nm
2h 54m
estimated nonstop flight time
+1h
time difference · heading northeast
See live SMX→RCA fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,120 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 54m gate to gate, flying northeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- SMX — Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field · Santa Maria, 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 SMX
- VBG · Vandenberg Air Force Base13 mi away
- LPC · Lompoc Airport16 mi away
- SBP · San Luis County Regional Airport26 mi away
- SQA · Santa Ynez Airport30 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 SMX from RCA?
The flight distance from Santa Maria (SMX) to Rapid City (RCA) is 1,120 miles (1,803 km, 974 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMX to RCA?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 54m 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 SMX to RCA?
Nonstop service on SMX–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 54m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Santa Maria and Rapid City?
Rapid City is 1 hour ahead of Santa Maria.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMX to RCA?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMX–RCA that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some SMX to RCA fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain SMX–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.