Unit-To-Unit Distance conversion

Nautical Miles to Miles

1 nautical mile = 1.150779448 miles

A nautical mile is about 15 percent longer than a statute mile — 1.15078 to be exact. Aviation distances quoted in "miles" almost always mean nautical.

Formula mi = nmi × 1.150779448024

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Type in either field — the other updates on every keystroke. Need other units? Open the full distance converter.

Nautical Miles to Miles — quick reference
Nautical mileMile
1 nmi1.150779 mi
2 nmi2.301559 mi
3 nmi3.452338 mi
4 nmi4.603118 mi
5 nmi5.753897 mi
10 nmi11.507794 mi
15 nmi17.261692 mi
20 nmi23.015589 mi
25 nmi28.769486 mi
50 nmi57.538972 mi
100 nmi115.077945 mi
500 nmi575.389724 mi
1000 nmi1150.779448 mi
Miles to Nautical Miles — reverse
MileNautical mile
1 mi0.868976 nmi
2 mi1.737952 nmi
3 mi2.606929 nmi
4 mi3.475905 nmi
5 mi4.344881 nmi
10 mi8.689762 nmi
15 mi13.034644 nmi
20 mi17.379525 nmi
25 mi21.724406 nmi
50 mi43.448812 nmi
100 mi86.897624 nmi
500 mi434.488121 nmi
1000 mi868.976242 nmi

Worked examples

Common values
SituationFromTo
One nautical mile1 nmi1.151 mi
Short sail5 nmi5.754 mi
Channel crossing10 nmi11.51 mi
Territorial sea limit12 nmi13.81 mi
One degree of latitude60 nmi69.05 mi
Economic zone limit200 nmi230.2 mi

Mental-math shortcut

Add 15%. 100 nmi is about 115 statute miles, which matches the exact 115.08.

Where this conversion comes up

Sea limits and flight plans are in nautical miles, while road signs use statute miles. The 12 nmi territorial sea is 13.8 statute miles.

Common mistakes

Do not write "miles" on a chart when you mean nautical miles. They differ by about 15%, which adds up fast over a long passage.

Background

Because a nautical mile is a minute of arc, a full circle around the Earth is about 21,600 nautical miles, roughly 40,000 km.

Frequently asked

How many miles are in a nautical mile?
1 nautical mile = 1.150779448 miles. In the other direction, 1 mile = 0.868976242 nautical miles.
What is a nautical mile?
A nautical mile is exactly 1,852 metres — one minute of arc of latitude. Because it maps directly onto charts, it is the standard in aviation and shipping.
What is a mile?
A statute mile is exactly 1,609.344 metres. It is the road unit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
How many miles is 100 nautical miles?
100 nmi is 115.08 statute miles.