How accurate is this flight time calculator?

The distance is exact - it's the true great-circle distance from each airport's coordinates. The flight time is an estimate, typically within about 30 minutes of the real scheduled time. Actual times vary with winds (the jet stream can add or cut 30-60 minutes on long routes), air-traffic routing and the aircraft type. Eastbound flights are usually faster than the same route westbound.

Does the flight time include layovers?

No. The calculator shows the estimated time for a direct, nonstop flight. If your itinerary has a connection, add the layover time (typically 1-3 hours) plus the second flight's duration. For city pairs with no nonstop service, the real total travel time will be considerably longer than the number shown.

Why is a flight faster in one direction than the other?

High-altitude winds, mainly the jet stream, flow generally west-to-east, so eastbound flights ride a tailwind and arrive sooner while westbound flights fight a headwind. On long routes like New York to London the difference can be 45-60 minutes. This calculator shows a single direction-neutral estimate, so treat it as the average of the two.

What is great-circle distance?

The great-circle distance is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere - here, the earth. Because the earth is curved, this path looks like a curve on a flat map (which is why long flights appear to arc toward the poles). Airlines fly close to great-circle routes to save time and fuel, so it's the right basis for estimating flight time.

How do I work out my arrival time in the local time zone?

Enter your local departure time in the calculator and it adds the flight duration plus the time-zone difference between the two cities to show your local arrival time, flagging if you land the next day. Note it uses standard time-zone offsets and doesn't adjust for daylight saving, so double-check around DST changeovers.

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Flight Time Calculator

How long is your flight? Enter any two airports to get the estimated nonstop flight time, the exact distance and the time difference - in seconds. Then book the route in a tap.

From

Choose a departure and arrival airport to see the flight time, distance and time difference.

In Brief

How long is a flight, and how is flight time calculated?

Flight time is estimated from the great-circle distance between two airports divided by a typical cruise speed of about 800 km/h (500 mph), plus roughly 30-40 minutes for taxi, takeoff, climb, descent and landing. For example, New York to London is about 3,450 miles and takes roughly 7 hours 30 minutes nonstop. This calculator uses real airport coordinates so the distance is exact and the time is accurate to within about 30 minutes for a direct flight.

Popular flight times

The most-searched routes, pre-calculated. Tap for the full breakdown and to book.

How the flight time is calculated

Enter your departure airport
Type a city or 3-letter airport code (like JFK or LHR) and pick your origin airport.
Enter your destination airport
Choose the arrival airport the same way. Use the swap button to reverse the route.
Read your result
The calculator instantly shows the estimated nonstop flight time, the exact great-circle distance and the time difference between the two cities.
Add a departure time (optional)
Enter a local departure time to see your local arrival time, including whether you land the next day.

The math: distance is the true great-circle distance from each airport's latitude and longitude (the haversine formula). Flight time adds a fixed ~36-minute overhead for taxi, takeoff, climb, descent and landing to the cruise time at an effective block speed of about 800 km/h, rising toward 880 km/h on ultra-long-haul sectors - calibrated against real scheduled block times. Updated 5 July 2026.