Km to Nautical Miles Converter
Kilometers to Nautical Miles Formula
Flight Planning Applications
The conversion is NM = km ÷ 1.852. Aviation route planning uses nautical miles exclusively. Common distances: Paris to London = 340 km = 183.6 NM, New York to Los Angeles = 3,944 km = 2,129.6 NM, London to Sydney = 16,997 km = 9,178.7 NM. Fuel burn calculations, required fuel reserves, and range specifications all use nautical miles.
International Air Travel Distance
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) mandates the use of nautical miles for all international aviation. Frequent flyer programs often display distances in miles (statute), km, or NM — leading to confusion. 1 statute mile = 1.60934 km = 0.86898 NM. For marine applications, see our nautical mile conversion chart.
Why Aviation and Maritime Use Nautical Miles
The Geographic Origin of the Nautical Mile
The nautical mile is based on Earth's geometry: one minute of latitude equals exactly one nautical mile. This makes nautical charts intuitive — distances can be measured directly from the latitude scale on the chart margin. A degree of latitude spans 60 nautical miles (111.12 km), so navigators can calculate distances using angular measurements alone. Longitude-based distances vary with latitude due to convergence at the poles, which is why latitude is preferred for distance references.
Modern Navigation Systems
Despite GPS technology measuring distances digitally, nautical miles remain the standard in aviation and maritime for regulatory, communication, and safety reasons. Air traffic control clearances, runway distances, and visibility reports all use nautical miles. Ship radar ranges are displayed in NM. International NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) and NAVTEX maritime safety messages report distances in nautical miles. For the reverse conversion, see our NM to km converter.