Statute miles to nautical miles
Type in any box and the other two update. Results round to 0.001 mile, nautical mile or kilometer.
One statute mile is 0.868976 nautical mile, or about 0.87 nautical mile. To convert miles to nautical miles, multiply by 0.868976, or divide by 1.150779. So 10 miles is 8.69 nautical miles and 100 miles is 86.898 nautical miles. The nautical mile is the longer unit: 1,852 meters, about 6,076 feet, against 5,280 feet in a statute mile.
Formulas: nautical miles = miles × 0.868976 · nautical miles = miles ÷ 1.150779 · kilometers = miles × 1.609344
Statute Mile vs Nautical Mile
The statute mile is the ordinary land mile: 5,280 feet, which is exactly 1,609.344 meters. The nautical mile is the unit of distance at sea and in the air. It was based on one minute of latitude, and since 1929 it has been defined internationally as exactly 1,852 meters, about 6,076.1 feet or 1.151 statute miles.
| Measure | Statute mile | Nautical mile |
|---|---|---|
| Feet | 5,280 | 6,076.1 |
| Meters | 1,609.344 | 1,852 |
| Kilometers | 1.609344 | 1.852 |
| In the other mile | 0.869 nautical mile | 1.151 statute miles |
| Speed unit | Mile per hour (mph) | Knot (nautical mile per hour) |
Because a nautical mile is about one minute of latitude, you can measure distances on a nautical chart against the latitude scale along its side. The American Practical Navigator (Bowditch), published by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, notes that treating one minute of latitude as one nautical mile introduces no significant error. On a small-scale Mercator chart the latitude scale stretches as the latitude increases, so measure on the part of the scale nearest your area.
Miles to Nautical Miles Conversion Chart
Statute miles in nautical miles and kilometers:
| Miles | Nautical miles | Kilometers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.869 | 1.609 |
| 2 | 1.738 | 3.219 |
| 3 | 2.607 | 4.828 |
| 4 | 3.476 | 6.437 |
| 5 | 4.345 | 8.047 |
| 10 | 8.69 | 16.093 |
| 15 | 13.035 | 24.14 |
| 20 | 17.38 | 32.187 |
| 25 | 21.724 | 40.234 |
| 30 | 26.069 | 48.28 |
| 40 | 34.759 | 64.374 |
| 45 | 39.104 | 72.42 |
| 50 | 43.449 | 80.467 |
| 60 | 52.139 | 96.561 |
| 75 | 65.173 | 120.701 |
| 100 | 86.898 | 160.934 |
| 150 | 130.346 | 241.402 |
| 200 | 173.795 | 321.869 |
| 250 | 217.244 | 402.336 |
| 500 | 434.488 | 804.672 |
| 1,000 | 868.976 | 1,609.344 |
Where Boaters Use Statute Miles
Most marine distances are in nautical miles: NOAA’s Coast Pilot gives distances in nautical miles unless it says otherwise. Two common exceptions in U.S. waters use statute miles:
- The Intracoastal Waterway. The Coast Pilot gives distances along the Intracoastal Waterway in statute miles, to match the small-craft charts. On the Atlantic waterway, Mile 0 is at Norfolk, Virginia, and Key West is at Mile 1,243.8, which is 1,080.8 nautical miles along the waterway.
- The Great Lakes. NOAA’s Coast Pilot 6, which covers the Great Lakes, gives distances in statute miles unless it states otherwise.
When a trip mixes the two, convert everything to one unit before you work out time or fuel: use knots with nautical miles, or mph with statute miles.
More Distance and Depth Converters
For the other direction, the Nautical Miles to Miles Converter turns nautical miles into statute miles. Nautical miles also convert to kilometers, meters and feet. Depths on nautical charts can be in fathoms, and the Fathoms to Feet Converter turns them into feet and meters. For boat speeds, use the Knots to MPH Converter. To measure a route between ports, try the Sea Distance Calculator, and to work out time, distance or speed, use the Speed, Distance and Time Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nautical miles are in a mile?
One statute mile is 0.868976 nautical mile, about 0.87 nautical mile. Ten miles are 8.69 nautical miles.
How do you convert statute miles to nautical miles?
Multiply the miles by 0.868976, or divide them by 1.150779. For example, 100 statute miles is 86.898 nautical miles.
Is a nautical mile longer than a statute mile?
Yes. A nautical mile is 1,852 meters, about 6,076.1 feet, while a statute mile is 5,280 feet. One nautical mile is 1.151 statute miles.
How many kilometers are in a mile?
A statute mile is exactly 1.609344 kilometers, and a nautical mile is exactly 1.852 kilometers.
Why are nautical miles used at sea?
A nautical mile is about one minute of latitude, so distances can be measured on a chart’s latitude scale, and speeds in knots, nautical miles per hour, fit the same charts.
Are Intracoastal Waterway miles statute or nautical?
Statute. NOAA’s Coast Pilot gives distances along the Intracoastal Waterway in statute miles, to match the small-craft charts. Multiply them by 0.869 to get nautical miles.