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Distance Calculator

Great-circle distance between two cities, with initial bearing and rough flight time.

miles
Initial bearing
°
Flight time (approx.)

About Great-Circle Distance

The great-circle distance is the shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere, measured along the surface. It is the distance an aircraft would fly on a direct route, which is why long-haul flight paths look curved on a flat map.

This calculator uses the haversine formula on a spherical Earth (radius 6,371 km). The initial bearing is the compass direction you would set out on from the first city; note that on a great-circle route the bearing changes continuously along the way. The flight time is a rough estimate based on an average cruising speed of about 800 km/h and does not include taxi, climb, descent or winds.