Calculate Distance Between Cities

The distance between cities is the straight-line measurement from one location to another, calculated across the surface of the Earth. This page lets you instantly measure how far apart any two cities are using their geographic coordinates, showing the result in kilometres and miles. Distances are calculated as a great-circle distance — often described as “as the crow flies” — which is the standard method used in geography, navigation, and global mapping.

Distance Between Cities

How far apart are two places on Earth?

The straight-line, great-circle distance between any two cities — with flight time, the time difference right now, and how close the pair comes to being perfect antipodes.

Pick from suggestions for an instant answer — or type any place on Earth.

"As the crow flies" — the shortest path between two points on a sphere is a great-circle arc, drawn here without borders.

Popular city-to-city distances

Great-circle distances between frequently searched city pairs, calculated with the haversine formula. Tap any row to load it in the calculator above.

RouteDistanceMilesAround the Earth
5,570 km3,461 mi14%
343 km213 mi1%
5,474 km3,401 mi14%
10,848 km6,741 mi27%
16,994 km10,560 mi42%
9,559 km5,940 mi24%
9,623 km5,979 mi24%
8,755 km5,440 mi22%
3,935 km2,445 mi10%
10,850 km6,742 mi27%
5,837 km3,627 mi15%
15,988 km9,935 mi40%
15,333 km9,528 mi38%
9,713 km6,035 mi24%
16,961 km10,539 mi42%
6,306 km3,918 mi16%
5,314 km3,302 mi13%
2,586 km1,607 mi6%
12,074 km7,502 mi30%
2,156 km1,339 mi5%
7,826 km4,863 mi20%
16,903 km10,503 mi42%
6,154 km3,824 mi15%
12,049 km7,487 mi30%
11,009 km6,841 mi27%
11,096 km6,895 mi28%
8,817 km5,478 mi22%
10,045 km6,242 mi25%
7,949 km4,939 mi20%
9,070 km5,636 mi23%
11,012 km6,843 mi27%
5,794 km3,600 mi14%
6,712 km4,170 mi17%
3,904 km2,426 mi10%
8,070 km5,015 mi20%
5,712 km3,549 mi14%

The longest distances between major cities

The maximum possible distance between two points on Earth is 20,037 km — exactly half the planet's circumference, reached only when two places are perfect antipodes. These city pairs come remarkably close. Madrid and Wellington — near-antipodes — are the farthest-apart major cities on Earth.

#City pairDistanceMilesAntipodality
119,855 km12,337 mi99.1%
219,820 km12,315 mi98.9%
319,688 km12,233 mi98.3%
419,640 km12,204 mi98.0%
519,614 km12,188 mi97.9%
619,205 km11,933 mi95.8%
719,063 km11,845 mi95.1%
819,060 km11,843 mi95.1%
918,701 km11,620 mi93.3%
1018,619 km11,569 mi92.9%
1118,569 km11,538 mi92.7%
1218,378 km11,419 mi91.7%

Antipodality is the distance as a share of 20,037 km — the farthest two points on Earth can possibly be. 100% would mean the cities are perfect antipodes.

Frequently asked questions

How is the distance between two cities calculated?
This tool uses the haversine formula, which computes the great-circle distance — the shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere. It's the "as the crow flies" distance, measured along the curve of the Earth rather than through it.
Why do real flights take longer than the straight-line distance suggests?
Aircraft rarely fly the exact great-circle path. Routes bend around restricted airspace and weather, follow air-traffic corridors, and exploit or avoid jet streams — which is also why the same route can be an hour faster in one direction than the other. Flight time estimates here assume a typical cruise speed of about 900 km/h plus time for takeoff and landing.
What is the farthest two places on Earth can be from each other?
20,037 km — exactly half of Earth's circumference. Two places at this distance are antipodes: each is directly opposite the other through the centre of the planet. Beyond an antipode, you'd be coming back around the other side.
Which two major cities are farthest apart?
Madrid and Wellington, at roughly 19,855 km — about 99% of the maximum possible distance. Spain and New Zealand are close to being antipodal, which is why flights between them are among the longest journeys in commercial aviation.
How accurate are these distances?
The haversine formula treats Earth as a perfect sphere of radius 6,371 km. The real planet is slightly flattened, so results can differ from ellipsoidal calculations by up to about 0.5% — a few kilometres on short routes, tens of kilometres on the longest ones.

Explore further

See what's directly opposite any city with the Antipode Map, measure country-to-country with Distance Between Countries, trace routes on the Flight Path tool, or watch the planet turn on the Earth Clock.

ANTIPODE FAQ

What hemisphere am I in right now?

Your hemisphere depends on your latitude and longitude. Locations north of the Equator are in the Northern Hemisphere, while those south are in the Southern Hemisphere. East and West are determined by longitude relative to the Prime Meridian. This tool can detect your current location instantly.
Can a place be in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?

Yes. Locations that sit directly on the Prime Meridian (0° longitude) lie on the boundary between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Most places fall clearly into one or the other, but boundary locations technically touch both.
Is the Equator the only line that defines hemispheres?

The Equator defines the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The Eastern and Western Hemispheres are defined by the Prime Meridian and the 180° meridian on the opposite side of Earth.
Are hemispheres the same as continents?

No. Hemispheres are based on global reference lines, not landmasses. A single continent can span multiple hemispheres — for example, Africa crosses both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as well as the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Why do some countries exist in more than one hemisphere?

Large countries or those near the Equator or Prime Meridian may extend across hemisphere boundaries. As a result, different parts of the same country can belong to different hemispheres.