Distance between two coordinates
Enter two latitude/longitude points and instantly get the straight-line great-circle distance between them in kilometers, miles, meters and nautical miles, along with the initial bearing. Both points and the line connecting them are drawn on a live map — and everything runs in your browser.
Distances are great-circle (haversine) — the shortest path over the surface of a spherical Earth, not road or driving distance. Accurate to well under 0.5% for any pair of points.
Drag the marker to adjust — or tap the map to move it.
What is the distance between two coordinates?
The distance between two coordinates is the length of the shortest path across Earth's surface from one latitude/longitude point to another — the great-circle distance. It is measured along the curve of the globe, not in a straight line through it, and it is shorter than any road or driving route between the same two places.
How to calculate distance between two coordinates
- Enter your first point as “latitude, longitude” in the Point A box (or tap the locate button to use your current position).
- Enter the second point in the Point B box, or use the swap button to reverse the two.
- Read the great-circle distance in kilometers, miles, meters and nautical miles, plus the initial bearing from A to B.
- Copy the result, or view both points and the connecting line on the map below.
Distance units and what they mean
| Unit | Example | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Kilometers (km) | 5,570.2 km | Everyday distances, most of the world |
| Miles (mi) | 3,461.1 mi | US/UK road and travel distances |
| Meters (m) | 5,570,225 m | Short distances, surveying, precision |
| Nautical miles (nmi) | 3,008.0 nmi | Marine and aviation navigation |
| Bearing (°) | 51.2° NE | Compass heading from start to end |
Great-circle vs driving distance
This tool returns the great-circle (haversine) distance — the shortest path over a sphere, also called “as the crow flies.” It is ideal for flight planning, radio range, mapping and proximity checks, but it is always shorter than the road distance a car would travel. The midpoint calculator finds the point halfway along that same great-circle path.
How accurate is the haversine distance?
The haversine formula models Earth as a sphere, which keeps the error below about 0.5% even for points on opposite sides of the planet — far more precise than a consumer distance tool needs. All inputs use the WGS84 datum, and the calculation runs entirely in your browser, so your coordinates are never uploaded. Need to convert a point first? Use the coordinate converter.