The distance between cities calculator uses the Haversine great-circle formula to find the shortest path between any two cities on Earth's surface. Results appear on an interactive Leaflet map with a connecting line and distance label. Distances shown in kilometers, miles, and nautical miles.
Select Two Cities
Distance Results
How to Use the Distance Between Cities Calculator
The distance between cities calculator finds the great-circle distance — the shortest path along Earth's curved surface — between any two major world cities. The result appears on an interactive map with a connecting line showing the actual route.
Step 1: Type the First City
Start typing the name of City A in the first input field. A dropdown list appears as you type, filtering the database of approximately 500 major world cities across all continents. Click any suggestion to select it. The tool stores the city's latitude and longitude for the calculation.
Step 2: Type the Second City
Type the name of City B in the second input field. Again, select from the suggestion list. The database covers all world capitals plus major population centers in every region — Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
Step 3: Choose Your Distance Unit
Select whether you want the primary result in kilometers, miles, or nautical miles using the radio buttons. The results panel shows all three units regardless of selection.
Step 4: Click Calculate Distance
Click the Calculate Distance button. The Leaflet map loads with markers at both cities and a polyline connecting them. The distance appears in all three units below the map. Zoom and pan the map to explore the route.
Understanding the Result
The distance shown is the great-circle distance — the shortest path along the surface of Earth. For flights, this closely approximates the actual route. However, ground travel (driving, trains) follows roads, which adds distance. The distance between New York and Los Angeles is about 3,940 km by great circle but about 4,500 km by road. The distance from London to Sydney is about 16,993 km by air — a 22-hour flight at cruising speed of 900 km/h.
What is a Nautical Mile?
A nautical mile (nm) is exactly 1,852 meters and is used in maritime and aviation navigation. It was originally defined as one arc-minute of latitude, making it naturally suited to Earth's geometry. One nautical mile equals 1.15 statute miles or 1.852 kilometers. Speeds in aviation and shipping are measured in knots — one knot is one nautical mile per hour.
For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide: Distance Between Two Cities Explained.
FAQ
Is this distance calculator free?
Yes, completely free. No signup, no account, no hidden fees. Just type two city names and get the distance instantly.
Is my location data safe?
All calculations run locally in your browser using the Haversine formula. No city searches or coordinates are sent to any server.
What is the great-circle distance?
The great-circle distance is the shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere (Earth). It follows the curvature of the Earth rather than a straight line on a flat map. This is the actual shortest flying route between two cities.
How accurate is the city distance?
The calculator uses the city's geographic center coordinates and the Haversine formula, which assumes Earth is a perfect sphere. This gives results accurate to within about 0.3% — sufficient for trip planning, comparing routes, and general reference.
Why does the map show a curved line between the cities?
When rendered on a flat map (Mercator projection), great-circle routes appear as curved arcs. The actual flight path takes advantage of Earth's curvature, which is why transatlantic flights often curve up toward Greenland rather than going in a seemingly straight horizontal line.
What is a nautical mile?
A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 meters and corresponds to one arc-minute of latitude. It's the standard unit for maritime and aviation navigation because it relates directly to Earth's geometry. One nautical mile equals about 1.15 statute miles or 1.852 kilometers.
Can I find the distance between cities not in the list?
The tool includes approximately 500 major world cities. If your city isn't listed, use the Haversine Distance Calculator, which accepts any GPS coordinates — you can look up any city's coordinates with the Latitude/Longitude Finder.