Great Circle Distance Formula

Great circle distance is the shortest path between two points on Earth’s surface and is widely used in aviation route planning, flight distance estimation, and airline network analysis.

Formula: d = R * arccos(sin φ1 sin φ2 + cos φ1 cos φ2 cos Δλ).

Use this formula for strategic planning, while remembering actual flown distance may vary.

FAQ

What is great circle distance? The shortest spherical path.

Why do airlines use it? For planning and estimation.

Is it the same as flown distance? Usually shorter than flown track.

Units? Nautical miles, miles, kilometers.

How accurate? Strong for planning.