SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Following a formal open records request submitted to the South Dakota DOT on August 31, 2022, KELOLAND News has received state flight logs and passenger manifests for flights on state planes from January 2018 to August 2022.

You can view the entirety of the information we have received below; if the documents don’t load, click on the year to review the information.

2018

In 2018, then Governor Dennis Daugaard flew in a state plane a total of 37 times, seven of which were out-of-state flights.

2019

In the final days of his term in 2019, Daugaard flew once on a state plane; an in-state flight.

For newly elected Governor Kristi Noem, however, 2019 was a major year for flights. Noem flew on state planes a total of 57 times in 2019; 17 of which were to out-of-state locations.

  1. 02/01/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Mark DeGrote, Herb Jones and Dave Campbell flew from Pierre to Yankton to Groton, CT to Flint, MI to Watertown to Yankton and back to Pierre.
  2. 02/21/2019 - Gov. Noem, Byron Noem, Kennedy Noem, Joshua Shields and Mark DeGrote flew from Pierre to Manassas, VA to Fort Wayne, IN to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  3. 04/06/2019 - Gov. Noem, Joshua Shields, Beth Hollatz and Mark DeGrote flew from Pierre to Watertown to Rock Springs, WY to Las Vegas, NV and back to Pierre.
  4. 04/17/2019 - Gov. Noem, Beth Hollatz, David Flute, Ryan Sheldon, Kristen Wileman and Dave Campbell flew from Pierre to Valentine, NE to Rosebud to Rapid City to Pine Ridge and back to Pierre.
  5. 04/23/2019 - Gov. Noem, Beth Hollatz, Aaron Schiebe, Dave Campbell flew from Pierre to Paducah, KY to Pensacola, FL to Tulsa, OK and back to Pierre.
  6. 05/14/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Joshua Shields and Mark DeGrote flew from Pierre to Louisville, KY to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  7. 06/07/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Beth Hollatz, Ryan Sheldon and Dave Campbell flew from Pierre to Rapid City to Sioux Falls to Rapid City to Dallas Texas to Eagle Colorado and back to Pierre.
  8. 06/18/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Beth Hollatz, Joshua Shields, Steve Westra and Mark Degrote flew from Pierre to Huron to Watertown to St. Paul, MN to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  9. 07/21/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Joshua Shields, Dave Campbell and Mark DeGrote flew from Pierre to Watertown to Rapid City to Aspen, CO to Riffle, CO to Aspen, CO to Salt Lake City, UT to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  10. 09/27/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Beth Hollatz and Chad Westover flew from Rapid City to San Antonio, TX to Watertown to Pierre.
  11. 10/03/2019 - Gov Noem, Beth Hollatz and Joshua Shields flew from Pierre to Sioux Falls to Indianapolis, IN and back to Pierre.
  12. 10/16/2019 - Gov. Noem, Beth Hollatz, Melissa Klemann, Kristen Wileman and Laurie Fieler flew from Pierre to Rapid City to Pierre to Flying Cloud, MN and back to Pierre.
  13. 10/21/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Beth Hollatz, Jason Simmons, Joshua Shields and Chad Westover flew from Pierre to Watertown to Sioux City, IA to Sioux Falls to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  14. 11/19/2019 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem and Joshua Shields flew from Pierre to Talladega, AL to Boca Raton, FL to Tuscaloosa, AL to Peoria, IL to Watertown and back to Pierre.
  15. 11/27/2019 - Gov. Noem, Byron Noem, Kennedy Noem and Booker Noem flew from Pierre to Watertown to White Plains, NY to Flint, MI to Janesville, WI to Sioux Falls and back to Pierre.
  16. 12/10/2019 - Gov. Noem and Kennedy Noem flew from Pierre to Las Vegas, NV to Brookings and back to Pierre.
  17. 12/15/2019 - Gov. Noem, Beth Hollatz and Chad Westover flew from Pierre to Manassas, VA to Madison, WI and back to Pierre.

2020

Noem took a noticeable step back from flights in the state plane in 2020, flying 29 times as compared to the 57 the year before. Just two of these 29 were out-of-state flights.

  1. 02/06/2020 - Gov. Noem, Kennedy Noem, Byron Noem, Dan Podzimek and Ryan Tennyson flew from Pierre to Madison, Wi to Manassas, VA to Fort Wayne, IN to Sioux Falls and back to Pierre.
  2. 01/14/2020 - Gov. Noem, Beth Hollatz and Jordan Meluis flew from Pierre to Minneapolis, MN and back to Pierre.

2021

In 2021, Noem flew a total of 37 times, 2 of which were out-of-state trips.

  1. 01/20/2021 - Gov. Noem, Kassidy Peters (Noem's daughter), Chad Westover and Dan Podzimke flew from Pierre to Omaha, NE and back to Pierre.
  2. 07/26/2021 - Gov. Noem, Ian Fury, Jeff Marlette, Brad Otten, Jordan Overturf and Chad Westover flew from Pierre to Lawton, OK to McAllen, TX to Oklahoma City, OK and back to Pierre.

2022

Noem has flown 17 times in state planes so far in 2022, all in-state. 2022 is also the only year in which she has been governor that Noem has not flown on a state plane with a family member.