How is flight distance calculated?
The calculator returns the great-circle distance— the shortest path between two airports over the Earth's curved surface, computed with the haversine formula. It's the standard reference distance in aviation: award charts, mileage-earning tables, and flight planning all start from it. Real flown routes are usually 1–5% longer, as aircraft follow airways, organized ocean tracks, and winds.
Miles, kilometres, or nautical miles?
| Unit | Equals | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Statute mile (mi) | 1.609 km | Award charts, earning tables, road signs |
| Kilometre (km) | 1 km | Most of the world's everyday distances |
| Nautical mile (nm) | 1.852 km | Pilots, flight plans, aviation charts |
When an award chart says "flights up to 3,000 miles", it means statute miles of great-circle distance — exactly the first figure this calculator shows.
How does flight distance affect award miles?
Distance-banded programs price awards directly off this number, so the calculator also estimates the one-way award miles per cabin and what those miles cost at our current cheapest live rate. For program-by-program charts, run the same route through the award calculator, or browse live miles listings to buy.