How far is it to fly between two cities? Choose two of 100 major airports, or enter any latitude and longitude, and get the great-circle distance in miles, kilometers and nautical miles, the approximate flight time and the initial heading.
Last updated:
Decimal degrees, south negative.
West negative.
Show main result in
mph
About 500 mph (805 km/h) is typical for jets.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Flight Distance Calculator
Pick the departure airport, or choose Custom to type coordinates.
Pick the arrival airport the same way.
Choose the unit for the main result and adjust cruise speed if you like.
Read the distance in miles, km and nautical miles, plus the approximate flight time.
Copy the result or download distances to major hubs.
Great-circle distance formula
The haversine formula gives the distance between two points on a sphere:
a = sin²(Δφ/2) + cos φ₁ · cos φ₂ · sin²(Δλ/2), c = 2 · atan2(√a, √(1−a)), d = R · c
where φ is latitude, λ longitude (in radians) and R = 6,371 km. For more precision the calculator also solves Vincenty's inverse formula on the WGS-84 ellipsoid (a = 6,378,137 m, f = 1/298.257223563) and uses that as the main result.
Approximate flight time = 30 minutes + miles ÷ cruise speed (500 mph by default).
Sample flight distances
Route
Miles
Kilometers
Approx. time
New York JFK – London LHR
3,452
5,555
7h 24m
Los Angeles LAX – Sydney SYD
7,488
12,050
15h 29m
London LHR – Singapore SIN
6,764
10,886
14h 02m
Dubai DXB – Singapore SIN
3,632
5,846
7h 46m
Paris CDG – Tokyo HND
6,047
9,731
12h 36m
Chicago ORD – Denver DEN
888
1,430
2h 17m
Distances are rounded great-circle values; times use the simple 500 mph + 30 min estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How is flight distance calculated?
Flight distance is usually the great-circle distance, the shortest path between two points on the Earth's surface. This calculator uses Vincenty's formula on the WGS-84 ellipsoid for accuracy, and also shows the simpler haversine result on a sphere of radius 6,371 km.
How far is New York to London by air?
JFK to London Heathrow is about 3,452 miles (5,555 km, 2,999 nautical miles) along the great circle. Actual flown routes are often a little longer because of air traffic routes and jet stream tracks.
Why do flights on a map look curved?
The shortest route on a globe is a great circle. On flat map projections that path appears curved, which is why flights from North America to Asia often pass close to Alaska or the Arctic.
How is the approximate flight time estimated?
It adds about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff, climb and descent to the cruise time at an average speed of 500 mph. Headwinds and tailwinds, especially the jet stream, can make real eastbound and westbound flight times differ by an hour or more.
What is a nautical mile?
A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 meters (about 1.151 statute miles). It is based on one minute of latitude and is the standard distance unit in aviation and shipping.
What is the difference between haversine and Vincenty distances?
Haversine treats the Earth as a perfect sphere, which can be off by up to about 0.5%. Vincenty's method models the Earth as a slightly flattened ellipsoid (WGS-84), as GPS does, and is accurate to millimeters.
Can I use city coordinates instead of airports?
Yes. Choose Custom latitude / longitude and enter decimal degrees, with south latitudes and west longitudes as negative numbers, for example 40.7128, −74.0060 for New York City.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.