Enter the distance in kilometres, miles or nautical miles and pick an aircraft type. The calculator estimates the flight time, including time for taxiing, take-off and landing.
Results are estimates for planning. Check the figures before you make a financial or health decision.
How the Flight time from distance works
The estimate is based on distance and speed:
time = distance รท average speed + extra time
First, the distance is converted to kilometres (1 mile = 1.609344 km, 1 nautical mile = 1.852 km). Then it is divided by the aircraft’s average speed:
- wide-body jet: about 820 km/h
- narrow-body jet: about 750 km/h
- turboprop: about 470 km/h
Finally it adds an allowance for taxi, take-off and landing, 30 minutes by default, which you can change. The results show the distance in all three units.
Real jets cruise at roughly 800 to 900 km/h, but the average over a whole flight is lower because of climb and descent. The tool ignores wind and routing, which can change a long flight by an hour or more. Westbound transatlantic flights are usually longer than eastbound ones. Use it for planning, not as a timetable.
Worked example
Using the default values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Distance unit | Kilometres |
| Distance | 5570 |
| Aircraft | Wide-body jet (about 820 km/h) |
| Taxi, take-off and landing | 30 min |
Estimated flight time: 7 h 18 min
| Distance | 5,570 km |
|---|---|
| Distance | 3,461 miles |
| Distance | 3,008 nautical miles |
| Average speed | 820 km/h |
Tips and common mistakes
Use the great-circle distance between airports rather than a road distance. Airlines publish the scheduled time, which is the best guide for your own flight, so check it before you plan connections. Choose the aircraft that matches your route, and raise the extra time for busy airports. If you already have both local times and time zones, use the flight duration calculator instead.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the estimate?
It is a guide. Winds, routing, air traffic and the aircraft’s actual speed all change real flight times, so the airline’s schedule is more reliable.
Why does the tool add extra minutes?
Taxiing, take-off, climb and landing do not happen at cruising speed. The 30-minute default covers this, and you can change it.
Why are flights in one direction longer?
Prevailing winds at cruising height tend to blow from west to east, so westbound transatlantic flights are usually about an hour longer.