Airport details
New York, United States
40.640, -73.779
Buenos Aires, Argentina
-34.817, -58.547
About Great Circle Distances
A great circle is the shortest distance between any two points on a sphere, tracing the path that a piece of string pulled taut across a globe would follow. For air travel, this means the theoretical minimum distance between two airports.
Airlines rarely fly the exact great circle path. Prevailing winds (especially the jet stream), restricted airspace, ETOPS regulations for twin-engine aircraft over water, and air traffic control routing all push the actual flight path away from the theoretical shortest route. The actual distance flown is typically 2 to 5 percent longer than the great circle distance.
Despite this, most frequent flyer programs base their mileage earnings on the great circle distance, not the actual distance flown. This makes the great circle distance the standard reference for comparing routes and estimating mileage earnings across loyalty programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a great circle distance?
A great circle is the shortest path between two points on a sphere. For flights, the great circle distance is the theoretical minimum distance between two airports, following the curvature of the Earth. Airlines use this distance to calculate frequent flyer mileage earnings.
Why does the flight path look curved on a flat map?
On a Mercator projection (flat map), great circle routes appear curved because the map distorts the spherical Earth onto a flat surface. The route is actually the shortest path; it only looks curved because the map stretches areas near the poles. On a globe view, the same route appears as a straight line.
How do airlines calculate frequent flyer miles?
Most airline loyalty programs base mileage earnings on the great circle distance between airports, not the actual distance flown. Some programs apply multipliers based on fare class and elite status. The actual flown distance is typically 2 to 5 percent longer than the great circle distance due to wind routing, airspace restrictions, and approach procedures.
What is the difference between statute miles, kilometers, and nautical miles?
Statute miles (mi) are the standard miles used in the US and UK. Kilometers (km) are the metric unit used worldwide. Nautical miles (nm) are used in aviation and maritime navigation; one nautical mile equals one minute of latitude, or 1.852 km. Most US frequent flyer programs report in statute miles, while international programs often use kilometers.