Flight Time Estimator

Estimate flight duration between any two airports. Includes taxi time and accounts for short vs long-haul flight speeds.

Calculator

From

Estimated Flight Time

Distance
Average Cruise Speed
Ground Overhead: 30 minutes (taxi, takeoff, landing)
Bearing

View full flight details →

How to Use

1
Select Airports
Search and select your origin and destination airports from 55,000+ airports worldwide using IATA codes or city names.
2
Estimate Duration
We calculate the great-circle distance, then estimate flight time based on average cruise speeds adjusted for distance, plus taxi and ground time allowances.
3
Review Breakdown
See the total block time broken down into distance, average speed, ground overhead, and bearing with compass direction.

About

The Flight Time Estimator computes gate-to-gate duration between any two airports using the Haversine formula for great-circle distance and average commercial cruise speeds. A 30-minute buffer covers taxi, takeoff, climb, descent, and landing, giving a realistic block-time estimate that matches airline schedules to within roughly 10 percent for most routes.

Modern jet aircraft cruise at different speeds depending on distance: short-haul flights average around 750 km/h, while long-haul sectors achieve 870 km/h at optimal altitude. The estimator accounts for this variation so results are accurate for everything from a 1-hour domestic hop to a 17-hour ultra-long-haul crossing.

FAQ

What is block time vs flight time?

Block time is the total time from when the aircraft pushes back from the gate at departure to when it arrives at the gate at the destination. Flight time (or airborne time) only counts the time the aircraft is in the air. Block time includes taxi, takeoff, landing, and taxi-in, and is typically 20-40 minutes longer than airborne time.

Why do longer flights seem proportionally faster?

On short flights, the fixed overhead of taxi, takeoff, climb, and descent represents a larger percentage of total time. Long-haul flights spend most of their time at efficient cruise altitude and speed, and jet aircraft cruise faster at higher altitudes.

How much does wind affect flight time?

Wind can significantly affect flight times. The jet stream, which flows west to east at 150-300 km/h, can shorten eastbound flights by 30-60 minutes and lengthen westbound flights by the same amount on transatlantic and transpacific routes.

Does the estimate include layover time?

No, the Flight Time Estimator calculates direct point-to-point flight duration only. For itineraries with connections, use the Multi-City Trip Calculator or Connection Time Calculator to account for layover and transfer time.

Why does the calculator use 800 km/h as the average speed?

800 km/h (about 432 knots) is a practical average cruise speed across narrow-body and wide-body commercial jets. Real block-time averages are lower once you include climb, descent, and taxi. 800 km/h gives a single number that stays within 10 percent of published schedules on most routes.