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Free Flight Time Calculator

Estimate direct flight times between airports worldwide. Uses great-circle distance and average cruise speed. Includes airport codes, timezone differences, and example airlines for reference.

Flight Time Estimator

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Estimated Direct Flight Time
Distance—
Departure—
Arrival—
Time Difference—
Example Airlines—

How to Use the Flight Time Calculator

Select your departure airport and arrival airport from the dropdown lists. The calculator uses the great-circle distance (the shortest path between two points on a sphere) to estimate the flight time at typical cruise speed.

The estimated flight time includes approximately 30 minutes of buffer for takeoff, climb, descent, and landing. Actual flight times may vary based on weather, air traffic, flight path, aircraft type, and wind conditions.

How Flight Time Is Calculated

Distance = Great-circle distance using Haversine formula
Flight Time = (Distance / Cruise Speed) + Buffer

Where:

  • Cruise Speed = 900 km/h (~560 mph) — average commercial jet speed
  • Buffer = 30 minutes — accounts for takeoff, climb, descent, and landing
  • Great-circle distance is calculated using airport coordinates (latitude/longitude)
  • Actual flight time may differ due to wind, routing, aircraft type, and ATC restrictions

What Affects Flight Time?

  • Wind: Headwinds can add 30-60 minutes to long-haul flights; tailwinds can reduce time
  • Aircraft Type: Different planes have different cruise speeds (787: ~903 km/h, A380: ~912 km/h, A320: ~828 km/h)
  • Flight Path: ATC may route planes on longer paths for traffic or weather avoidance
  • Season: Jet streams are stronger in winter, affecting flight times on certain routes

Frequently Asked Questions

The estimate is based on the great-circle distance and average cruise speed with a standard buffer. Actual flight times can vary by 10-20% due to wind, aircraft type, and routing. Use this as a planning reference.
No. This calculator estimates direct (non-stop) flight time only. For connecting flights, add the flight time for each segment plus layover time between flights.
The great-circle distance is the shortest distance between two points on the surface of a sphere, measured along the surface. For air travel, this is the most efficient route, though actual flight paths often vary slightly.
The time difference between departure and arrival cities affects jet lag and arrival planning. Flying eastward (e.g., New York to London) means losing hours, while flying westward (London to New York) means gaining hours.