Rapid City Regional Airport Statistics

Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is South Dakota’s secondary commercial airport and the primary gateway to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills region. It connects western South Dakota to destinations across the United States through multiple partner airlines.

Rapid City Regional Airport handles approximately 700,000 to 850,000 passengers annually.

• The airport served 856,248 passengers in 2024, setting an all-time record and reflecting a 22% increase over 2023.
• In 2019, before the pandemic, the airport handled 705,429 passengers.
• Passenger traffic dropped sharply in 2020, with 374,079 passengers, a 47% decline due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
• Traffic rebounded in 2021 with 690,740 passengers before dipping slightly to 672,549 in 2022.
• The airport served 702,581 passengers in 2023, nearly returning to pre-pandemic levels before officially surpassing them in 2024.

Several carriers serve RAP, including regional operators for major airlines and low-cost carriers. The market is concentrated among a few leading operators.

• SkyWest Airlines held a 29.1% market share in 2024, making it the top carrier. It operates regional flights for United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, connecting passengers to major hubs.
• United Airlines accounted for 28.5%, offering mainline and regional service, with year-round flights to Denver and seasonal service to San Francisco.
• Envoy Air had a 17.3% share, operating American Eagle flights for American Airlines, with service to Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare and seasonal Charlotte.
• Allegiant Air held 14.0%, offering low-cost flights to Las Vegas, Phoenix and Orlando.
• American Airlines operated 3.1% of flights directly, complementing regional service provided by Envoy.
• Other carriers made up 8.0%, including Southwest Airlines (serving Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix), Delta Air Lines mainline and Frontier Airlines (Denver connections).

• RAP serves only domestic routes within the United States.
• All scheduled flights are 100% domestic.
• Major hub destinations include Denver (DEN), the airport’s largest market, as well as Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and seasonal Atlanta (ATL).
• In 2025, new seasonal service to Atlanta and Charlotte was added, enhancing Southeast connections.
• The airport’s route network focuses on connecting travelers to major hubs and facilitating access to the Black Hills region.

RAP handles a modest amount of cargo compared to major freight airports, with around 17 to 20 million pounds of freight per year.

• The airport handled 17.80 million pounds of landed cargo in 2024.
• In 2023, total cargo was 19.86 million pounds, showing consistent volume year over year.

RAP maintains high safety standards and updated infrastructure to support safe operations.

• The airport is certified under FAA Part 139 and has passed all inspections with no findings.
• A new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) station opened in 2023, improving emergency response.
• TSA security screening is in place, following all federal security requirements.
• The airport’s 8,701-foot primary runway (Runway 14/32), completed in 2024, supports safe operations for all aircraft types.
• No major accidents have been recorded in recent years, reflecting a strong safety record..