A working history of Rapid City Regional Airport. Please send additions or corrections to: megan.johnson@rcgov.org
1989
1993
Executive Director
Bill Bacon
1996
March 1996 – Airport receives a $6.9M grant to replace an asphalt runway with a concrete runway. It was one of four SD improvement grants announced by Senator Tom Daschle.
May 1996 – United Express introduced the de Havilland Dash 8-200 at Rapid City Regional Airport, bringing the 37-seat turboprop into service between Rapid City and Denver. At the time, United Express service in Rapid City was operated by Mountain West Airlines, a Mesa Air Group carrier. The airline operated 8 to 12 daily flights between RAP and Denver, and Rapid City was the first airport in the Mountain West system to receive the new aircraft. The Dash 8-200 replaced smaller 30-seat Brasilia aircraft on the route and complemented United Express’ 50-seat Dash 8-300 service. At the time, United Express operated routes across nine states.
Executive Director
Bill Bacon
1998
February 1998 – United Airlines announced it would end Mesa Airlines’ United Express codeshare agreement at Denver, a decision that affected Rapid City service. Air Wisconsin later took over United Express service between Rapid City and Denver, continuing the route under the United Express brand.
April 5, 1998 – Northwest Airlink launched new nonstop service between Rapid City and Sioux Falls. The route operated up to three times daily using 19-passenger turboprop aircraft, giving travelers a rare intrastate air link across South Dakota. One-way fares cost on average $159. The short-lived intrastate route operated through September 30, 1998, before being replaced by Saab 340 service that routed through Pierre.
August 30, 1998 – The Northwest Airlines pilots’ strike disrupted service systemwide. By September, 16 Northwest employees had been laid off locally. The strike ended September 12, 1998, after 15 days. Northwest accounted for nearly half of seats to and from RAP at the time.
Executive Director
Brad Hagen
Tori Richardson
1999
July 2, 1999 – Northwest AIrlines upgraded one of its four daily DC-9 flights to a B-727.
January 1999 – Rapid City Regional Airport added its first covered jetway, giving passengers a more protected boarding experience. The jetway was initially used for United Express passengers boarding the BAe-146 jet, which operated one daily round trip between Rapid City and Denver. At the time, United Express also offered five daily Denver flights on 32-seat Dornier turboprops. SkyWest Airlines, operating as Delta Connection, also served Rapid City with Canadair Regional Jet service between Rapid City and Salt Lake City.
Board Members
President – Jerry Mitchell
Secretary – Wilbur Blundell
Member – Bert Corwin
Member – Jerry Brown
Executive Director
Brad Hagen
2002
November 7, 2002 – The federal government took direct control of passenger and baggage screening at Rapid City Regional Airport. The TSA was created in response to September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
2004
October 2004 – RAP refurbishes crosswind runway 5/23. The work corrected line of sight issues and cost around $1.9 million. The FAA provided 95% of the money and the South Dakota Aeronautics Office contributed 2%.
2005
July 6, 2005 – Allegiant Airlines begins operating at Rapid City Regional Airport. The first flight was a nonstop to Las Vegas (LAS). Flight number 456 departing on a 150-seat MD-80. The welcome event included an Elvis impersonator and showgirls. A miniature version of the famous Las Vegas sign was presented to mayor Jim Shaw by Allegiant Airlines. One-way fares ranged from $89 – $189.
September 14, 2005 – Northwest Airlines filed for bankruptcy. Northwest served RAP with service to Minneapolis on DC-9s via Mesaba.
2005 Board Members:
President – Bert C. Corwin
Vice President – Craig Uhre
Secretary – Jerry Shoener
Jerome F. Mitchell
Jerry Brown
Alan Hanks – Board Liason
2010
April 7, 2010 – American Airlines/Eagle begins operating at Rapid City Regional Airport. The first flight was a nonstop to Dallas Fort Worth, Texas (DFW) on a 50-seat ERJ-145.
January 31, 2010 – Northwest Airlines completes merger with Delta Air Lines. RAP’s Minneapolis service, operated by Northwest for decades, transitions fully to the Delta brand.
2010 Board Members:
President – Bert C. Corwin
Vice President – Dick McConnell
Secretary – Kan Kuecker
Ronald Johnsen
Lisa Modrick
Gary Brown
Dave Davis
2011
February 14, 2011 – Rapid City Regional Airport broke ground on a $20.5 million terminal expansion and renovation project. The work added 12,000 square feet of new floor space, a seventh boarding gate, three jet bridges, an expanded security checkpoint with capacity for three screening lanes, a dedicated rental car wing, post-security shopping, a renovated restaurant and a rooftop patio. The project took approximately 18 months to complete.
2014
June 7, 2014 – Delta began nonstop, seasonal, weekly service to Atlanta (ATL) on a 65-passenger CR7 regional jet.
2022
2022 Board Members:
President – Rod Pettigrew
Vice President – Dustin Dale
Secretary – Dr. Robert Hall
Michelle Thomson
Darren Haar
Michael Rath
2023
February 2023 – Rapid City Regional Airport receives a $10.9 million discretionary grant under the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), which was created by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This award funds a $10.9 million portion of a $58 million multi‐phased rehabilitation and expansion of the existing passenger terminal.
October 23, 2026 – Terminal Expansion Groundbreaking. Project 1 addresses the baggage screening area, realigns the ticket counters and updates the TSA checkpoint area. Speakers included board president, Rapid City mayor Jason Salamun and Airport Executive Director Patrick Dame.
Rapid City Regional Airport set a new record for passenger enplanements in 2023.
2023 Board Members:
President – Dustin Dale
Vice President – Dr. Robert Hall
Secretary – Bob Conway
Michelle Thomson
Michael Rath
Caleb Arceneaux
2024
May 15, 2024 – Allegiant Airlines began twice-weekly nonstop service to Orlando, Florida (SFB) on a 186 passenger A-320 jet.
June 2024 – Delta Airlines began seasonal nonstop service to Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) on a 132-seat Airbus A319.
June 14, 2024 – Allegiant Airlines began seasonal nonstop service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The flights operated up to three times weekly.
July 15, 2024 – Raymond Brian Bishop accepts role as deputy director.
2024 Board Members:
President – Dr. Robert Hall
Vice President – Michelle Thomson
Secretary – Bob Conway
Michael Rath
Caleb Arceneaux
John Pierce
2025
August 2025 – Parking expansion, 220 additional stalls and exit plaza is added to the public parking lot.
2025 Air Service
Minneapolis (MSP) – Delta
Denver (DEN) – United
Phoenix/Mesa (IWA) – Allegiant
Las Vegas (LAS) – Allegiant
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) – American Airlines
* Minneapolis (MSP) – Sun Country
* Chicago (ORD) – American and United
* Charlotte (CLT) – American
* Orlando (SFB) – Allegiant
*indicates seasonal
2025 Board Members:
President – Dr. Robert Hall
Vice President – Caleb Arceneaux
Secretary – Bob Conway
John Pierce
Ally Formanek
Lance Lehmann – Council Liason
2026
January 1, 2026 – Airport Deputy Director Brian Bishop is selected to participate in the Ellsworth Air Force Base Honorary Commander program.
February 4, 2026 – Rapid City Regional Airport received $20M in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) as part of a $145.7 million national Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) package secured by U.S. Senator Mike Rounds. The funds will go to support the Project 2 of the terminal expansion project.
February 17, 2026 – The Rapid City Common Council approved $44.35 million in Vision Fund support for Rapid City Regional Airport as part of the local funding package for Project 2 of the terminal expansion.
May 13, 2026 – Allegiant Airlines acquired Sun Country Airlines.
May 18, 2026 – Rapid City Regional Airport receives $1 million in Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) funds for Project 2 of the terminal expansion.
March 24, 2026 – South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden signs Senate Bill 76 into law at Rapid City Regional Airport. The bill provides RAP and Sioux Falls Regional Airport access to up to $15 million each in state loans at 2% interest for terminal expansion projects.
June 2, 2026 – American Airlines nonstop route to Phoenix Sky Harbor returns for daily seasonal service (June 2 – October 3) on an Embraer 175.
