Kathmandu to New York
15h 28mgate to gate
The flight from Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) covers 12,117 km (7,529 miles) and takes approximately 15h 28m gate to gate for a typical jet.
The route heads north on an initial great-circle bearing of 343°, passing near 73.9° N, 28.5° E at its midpoint.
Bearing 343° north Midpoint 73.9° N, 28.5° E Model 805 km/h + 25 min
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
How this is worked out
- Take both airports' published coordinates from OurAirports — nothing here is scraped from another flight site.
- Great-circle distance by haversine on a mean earth radius of 6,371.0088 km: 12,117 km.
- Airborne time = that distance ÷ 805 km/h, a representative jet cruise speed: 15h 03m.
- Add a flat 25 minutes for pushback, taxi, climb, descent and taxi-in — the reason a 400 km hop is never half an hour: 15h 28m gate to gate.
- Winds, aircraft type and airline schedule padding are not modelled. The cruise-speed table shows how much that assumption is worth.
12,117 km / 805 km/h = 15h 03m airborne
+ 25 min ground = 15h 28m gate to gate
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The same route, plotted on a world grid
The strip above gives the route its length and its shape. This gives it a position: latitude and longitude only, no coastlines, because a hand-drawn coastline would be decoration pretending to be data. On a flat grid the shortest path looks bent; on a globe it is straight.
Flight time at different cruise speeds
Aircraft type, winds and routing all move the real number. This is the same distance flown at different speeds, plus the 25-minute ground and climb allowance.
| Typical of | Cruise speed | Airborne | Gate to gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop / regional | 550 km/h | 22h 02m | 22h 27m |
| Narrowbody jet (A320, 737) | 780 km/h | 15h 32m | 15h 57m |
| Widebody jet (777, 787, A350) | 900 km/h | 13h 28m | 13h 53m |
| Private jet (Gulfstream) | 850 km/h | 14h 15m | 14h 41m |
Headwinds on an eastbound long-haul routinely add 30–60 minutes; the same route westbound can be quicker. Airlines publish schedules with padding built in.
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Both airports
| KTM | JFK | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Tribhuvan International Airport | John F. Kennedy International Airport |
| City | Kathmandu | New York |
| Country | Nepal | United States |
| ICAO | VNKT | KJFK |
| Coordinates | 27.6966, 85.3591 | 40.6394, -73.7793 |
| Elevation | 4,390 ft | 13 ft |
Every figure on this plate is geometry. The shape of the earth is knowable; the airline's schedule is not.
Questions this plate answers
How long is the flight from Kathmandu to New York?
A non-stop flight from Kathmandu (KTM) to New York (JFK) takes about 15h 28m. The great-circle distance is 12,117 km (7,529 miles, 6,543 nautical miles), flying north on an initial bearing of 343°.
How far is Kathmandu from New York?
12,117 kilometres in a straight line over the earth's surface — 7,529 miles or 6,543 nautical miles. Actual flown distance is usually 2–5% longer because aircraft follow airways, avoid weather and route around restricted airspace.
Is there a non-stop flight between KTM and JFK?
This page calculates the direct-line time and distance; it does not track airline schedules. At 12,117 km the route is within reach of long-range widebodies, though not every city pair is served non-stop. Check an airline or booking site for what is actually scheduled.
What should I expect on a 15h 28m flight?
Anything past six hours is a long-haul flight: expect at least one meal service, a significant time-zone shift, and enough sitting that circulation and hydration start to matter. Cabin altitude, dry air and disrupted sleep do more damage to a training routine than the flight itself.
Airport coordinates from OurAirports (public domain). Distance is a great-circle calculation; flight time uses the model described on the method page. Flight times are great-circle estimates for planning only — always check the airline's published schedule.
