Drive or Fly: Hill City, SD to Keystone, SD?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for RAP–RAP. At 12 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

20m

Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 12m

1m in the air

Air Distance

8 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hill City, SD → RAP 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RAP → Keystone, SD 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Hill City, SD RAP — Rapid City Regional Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

Keystone, SD RAP — Rapid City Regional Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RAP and RAP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	20m	3h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

12 mi 20m

via US 16; US 385

Shortest (+3 min)

11.6 mi 24m

via CR 323

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hill City, SD to Keystone, SD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.