📏 Straight Line Distance
"As the crow flies" means the shortest distance between two points on Earth's surface - a straight line. It's different from driving distance which follows roads and terrain.
How Far Is It? Distance Calculator - As The Crow Flies
📏 Calculate Distance Between Two Places
What Does "As The Crow Flies" Mean?
🌐 Haversine Formula
We use the Haversine formula to calculate great-circle distances, accounting for Earth's curvature. This provides highly accurate distance measurements between any two coordinates.
✈️ Perfect For Flight Distance
Straight line distance is ideal for estimating flight distances, air miles, radio range, delivery zones, and any calculation requiring direct point-to-point measurement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is it between two cities?
To find how far is it between two cities, enter both city names in the calculator above. We'll instantly show the straight line distance (as the crow flies) in both kilometers and miles, along with an interactive map visualization.
What does "as the crow flies" mean?
"As the crow flies" refers to the straight-line distance between two points, ignoring any obstacles like mountains, buildings, or roads. It's the shortest possible distance between two locations on Earth.
How do you calculate distance between pincodes?
To calculate distance between pincodes, simply enter both postal codes in the calculator. Our tool geocodes each pincode to find its exact coordinates, then uses the Haversine formula to calculate the precise distance between them.
Can I calculate distance between countries?
Yes! You can calculate distance between countries by entering country names. We'll use the geographic center (centroid) of each country to calculate the distance. For example, "United States to United Kingdom" will show the distance between their geographic centers.
Is this distance the same as driving distance?
No. Our calculator shows straight line distance (as the crow flies), which is typically shorter than driving distance. Actual road distance depends on available routes, terrain, and infrastructure. Use this for air distance, flight planning, or radius calculations.
How accurate is the distance calculation?
Our Haversine formula calculation is accurate to within ±0.5% for most distances. The accuracy depends primarily on the geocoding precision of the input locations. Major cities and postal codes provide the most accurate results.
Can I enter any type of location?
Yes! You can enter cities (New York), pincodes/zip codes (110001, 90210), countries (France), addresses, or even landmarks. Our geocoding service supports a wide variety of location formats worldwide.
What units are the distances shown in?
Distances are shown in both kilometers (km) and miles (mi). Kilometers are displayed prominently, with miles shown as a secondary measurement for convenience.
Why use this instead of Google Maps?
Google Maps shows driving or transit distance following roads. Our tool shows straight line distance (as the crow flies), which is useful for air travel, delivery radius, radio range, geographic analysis, and quick distance estimates without road routing.
How far is it between zip codes in different countries?
You can calculate distance between zip codes in different countries by entering them directly. For example, "110001" (India) to "90210" (USA) will work seamlessly. Our global geocoding supports postal codes from 100+ countries.
Does the map show the route?
The map shows both locations with markers and a straight line connecting them, representing the "as the crow flies" distance. This visualizes the direct path between your two locations.
Can I use this for business planning?
Absolutely! This tool is perfect for calculating delivery ranges, service areas, analyzing customer distribution, estimating shipping costs based on distance, and determining if locations fall within your operational radius.