Great Circle Calculator

Great Circle Calculator

Compute the shortest distance between two points on Earth.

Last updated: June 2026 | By Patchworkr Team

Interactive Calculator

Distance
3,935.746 km
2,445.559 mi

Haversine formula

This calculator uses a spherical Earth approximation with radius 6371 km.

Units

Results are shown in kilometers and miles.

Worked Example

New York City to Los Angeles.

1. Input coordinates for NYC and LA

2. Apply the Haversine formula

3. Read the great-circle distance

Final answer: about 3936.24 km

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this account for Earth flattening?

No. It uses a spherical approximation.

Can I enter degrees and minutes?

Enter decimal degrees for the best result.

Why are miles also shown?

They are a common secondary unit for travel distances.

Is this a routing calculator?

No. It is straight-line great-circle distance only.

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