City Cab

Meter starts at the curb outside RAP baggage claim

City Cab lines up just outside Rapid City Regional Airport baggage claim, with cars usually waiting during daytime arrivals. You don’t need to pre-book for mid-day flights, but after 21:00 it’s smarter to call ahead because service can thin out when the last few flights land.

RAP sits about 10–12 miles from downtown Rapid City, and City Cab runs that trip in roughly 20–25 minutes depending on SD-44 traffic. Fares use a standard meter, so budget for a mid-$20s to low-$30s ride into central Rapid City, more if you’re heading toward the outer edges or into the Black Hills.

You’ll find the pickup point at the single terminal’s lower-level curb, near the main exit from baggage claim 1 and 2. Drivers know the local hotels by name, from the properties along North LaCrosse Street to the clusters near I-90 exits 59 and 61, so giving a hotel name is usually enough for them to roll.

City Cab operates daily, with phones answered across all seven days of the week, though late-night coverage after 23:00 can mean a 15–30 minute wait if you haven’t reserved. If your flight number is on one of the last Delta, United, or American arrivals of the day, call from the aircraft door or as soon as you hit the jet bridge.

Rides to Mount Rushmore, about 35 miles from RAP, are possible but not cheap; you’re looking at roughly 45–60 minutes in the car one-way and a fare that can easily run into the high-$80s or more depending on waiting time. For round-trips that far, many visitors pivot to rental cars or pre-booked shuttles instead.

Practical tip: ask the driver for a ballpark fare right at the curb before you load bags; agreeing on an estimated range (for example “around $30 to downtown”) avoids surprises when the meter clicks past the 10-mile mark.