How the flight time calculator works
This tool gives a quick, clear estimate of how long a nonstop flight between two airports should take, and what the clock will read when you land.
For any pair of airports it does three things:
- Measures the distance. It calculates the great-circle distance (the shortest path over the curved surface of the Earth) using each airport's latitude and longitude and the haversine formula.
- Estimates the flying time. It divides that distance by an average cruise speed of about 800 km/h for a jet airliner and adds roughly 30 minutes for taxiing, take-off, climb, descent and landing. Flying something slower? Pick a helicopter, turboprop or light aircraft from the Aircraft menu and the speed adjusts.
- Converts the arrival time. If you enter a departure time, it adds the flight duration and shows the result in the destination's local time, correctly handling the time-zone difference (and telling you if you land the next day).
Because it is based on the straight-line distance and an average speed, the answer is an estimate. Real flights run a little longer or shorter depending on the jet stream, the route air-traffic control assigns, and the aircraft type, but for planning it is usually within about 15% of the published schedule.
Flight time for other aircraft, not just airliners
Most people want the time for a normal jet airliner, so that is the default. But the same distance takes very different times in a slower aircraft, so the calculator lets you switch. Pick the type from the Aircraft menu and the estimate updates to that speed.
| Aircraft | Speed used | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Airliner (jet) | about 800 km/h | Commercial flights, the default |
| Private jet | about 800 km/h | Business jets, cruise close to airliners |
| Turboprop | about 500 km/h | Regional and short-haul propeller aircraft |
| Helicopter | about 240 km/h | Short point-to-point hops |
| Light aircraft | about 200 km/h | Small piston planes like a Cessna 172 |
So a 300 km trip that is about 50 minutes in a jet works out closer to an hour and a quarter by helicopter, and around an hour and a half in a light Cessna. It is a handy way to sanity-check a helicopter transfer, a private-jet leg or a small-plane cross-country before you commit to it.
Popular routes
Tap a route to calculate it instantly:
Frequently asked questions
- How is flight time calculated?
- We compute the great-circle (shortest) distance between the two airports from their coordinates, divide it by an average cruise speed of about 800 km/h, and add roughly 30 minutes for the time spent taxiing, taking off, climbing, descending and landing. The output is an estimate for a nonstop flight.
- What is a great-circle distance?
- It is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere. On a flat map this path looks like a curve, which is why long-haul flights appear to arc towards the poles rather than fly in a straight line.
- Why is my answer different from the airline's schedule?
- Three things. First, jet-stream winds: an eastbound flight rides a tailwind and is faster, while the westbound return is slower. Second, the actual routing, which runs a few percent longer than the straight line. Third, the aircraft type. Connections add even more time on top. Expect accuracy within roughly 15%.
- Does it include layovers or connecting flights?
- No. The estimate is for one nonstop leg. A connecting itinerary will always take longer because of the layover and the detour through the connecting hub.
- What time zone is the arrival shown in?
- Always the destination's local time. Enter your departure time in the origin's local time and the calculator handles the time-zone conversion for you, including whether you land on the next day.
- Can I calculate flight time for a helicopter, private jet or Cessna?
- Yes. Use the Aircraft menu to switch from a jet airliner to a private jet, turboprop, helicopter or light aircraft, and the estimate recalculates at that aircraft's typical speed, from about 800 km/h for a jet down to around 200 km/h for a small Cessna.