Unit Converter
Convert From Miles to Nautical Miles and Vice Versa
Miles ↔ Nautical Miles
Type in either miles or nautical miles — it’ll convert to the other automatically!
🚗 What is a Mile?
A mile is a unit of distance used mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom. It equals exactly 1,609.344 meters or 1.609 kilometers. It’s commonly used for land travel and road signage.
🌊 What is a Nautical Mile?
A nautical mile is based on the Earth's circumference and is used in navigation for air and sea travel. It equals exactly 1,852 meters or about 1.15078 miles.
🧠 Quick Comparison
| Unit | Equivalent | Used In |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mile | 0.868976 nautical miles | USA, UK (land distance) |
| 1 nautical mile | 1.15078 miles | Marine, aviation, global navigation |
🧮 How to Convert
Miles to Nautical Miles: nmi = miles × 0.868976
Nautical Miles to Miles: miles = nmi × 1.15078
Example:
100 miles × 0.868976 = 86.90 nmi
💡 Pro Tip
If you’re converting flight plans, shipping logs, or distances on nautical charts, always use nautical miles. For driving and road maps, stick to land miles.
🎉 Did You Know?
One nautical mile corresponds to one minute of latitude on a globe. That makes it ideal for navigation and plotting locations using GPS and maps.
🌍 Real-World Distance Examples
- 1 mile – Distance between city blocks
- 100 miles – Short regional flight
- 500 nmi – Average commercial flight leg
- 5,500 nmi – London to Singapore by air
📊 Miles to Nautical Miles Conversion Chart
| Miles | Nautical Miles (nmi) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.869 |
| 5 | 4.345 |
| 10 | 8.690 |
| 50 | 43.45 |
| 100 | 86.90 |
| 500 | 434.49 |
| 1000 | 868.98 |
📜 Timeline: Nautical vs Land Mile
- Roman Empire: Land mile derived from 1,000 paces (mille passus)
- 1600s: Nautical mile used by mariners as 1 arc minute of latitude
- 1929: Standardized as 1,852 meters internationally
🌐 When to Use Miles vs Nautical Miles
- 🚗 Miles: Land travel in the U.S., UK, and Liberia
- 🛫 Nautical Miles: Used by all aircraft and ships worldwide
- ⚖️ Conversion Tip: Multiply miles by 0.869 for quick conversion to nmi
🎯 Interactive Converter
100 miles = 86.90 nautical miles