Distance Between Cities
Find the straight-line and estimated driving distance between major cities worldwide.
Cities closest to New York
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between straight-line and driving distance?▼
Straight-line distance (as the crow flies) is the shortest possible distance between two points on Earth's surface, ignoring terrain and roads. Driving distance follows actual roads and can be 20–50% longer depending on geography, especially for cities separated by mountains, rivers, or coastlines. The driving multiplier varies significantly — cities well connected by highways can be very close to straight-line distance.
What is the farthest distance between two cities on Earth?▼
The maximum straight-line distance between two points on Earth is approximately 20,004 km (the half-circumference). Cities that are nearly antipodal include Madrid and Wellington, New Zealand (~19,650 km) and Shanghai and Buenos Aires (~19,500 km). No commercial flight travels a true antipodal route.
How does latitude affect distances?▼
Distances between cities at the same latitude change with latitude. At the equator, one degree of longitude = ~111 km. At 45°N (e.g., New York, Rome), one degree of longitude = ~78 km. At 60°N (Oslo, Anchorage), one degree = ~55 km. Latitude degrees always = ~111 km regardless of location.
What is the Earth's circumference?▼
Earth's equatorial circumference is 40,075 km (24,901 mi). The polar circumference is slightly less at 40,008 km due to Earth's oblate spheroid shape (flattened at poles). The average radius is about 6,371 km. Flights between antipodal cities (on opposite sides of Earth) would travel ~20,000 km.