Rapid City Airport Receives Small Community Air Service Development Grant

Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) announced that they are a recipient of a federal grant from the DOT’s Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASD).  The $700,000 grant’s purpose is to provide a revenue guarantee to pursue and develop future year-round, daily nonstop service to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport with American Airlines.  The total award of $914,100 includes $214,100 in local matching and in-kind contributions.  Local partners include Visit Rapid City, SD Department of Tourism, the City of Rapid City, Rapid City Economic Development Partnership, Air Host Rapid City, Overland West dba Hertz, and Republic Parking Systems. 

“We are extremely excited to be awarded the Small Community Air Service Development Grant and are hopeful for what it could bring to Rapid City,” stated Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame.  “We continue to work diligently on our air service development to benefit both the business and tourism markets. The Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport would provide us access to American Airline’s sixth largest hub and better connections to the West Coast.”  He further stated that this is the third SCASD grant that has been received by RAP to encourage and develop additional air service.  The next step in the process will be to request a meeting with American Airlines. 

RAP is served by Allegiant, American, Delta, and United Airlines.  Passengers currently enjoy nonstop flights from Rapid City to 11 top destinations:  Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Mesa-Phoenix, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York/Newark, and Salt Lake City.  Some flights are only offered during the summer connecting passengers to hundreds of cities worldwide.