Difference Between an Air Mile & a Regular Mile

Aeronautical miles and regular miles both measure distances for two separate functions.

Air, or aeronautical, miles and regular (statute) miles are both used to measure distances, though the lengths differ. Aeronautical and nautical miles and knots are equivalent and can be used interchangeably.

Air/Aeronautical Miles

The nautical mile was identified in the 1800s as one minute of latitude at the equator, which equals 6,087 feet. All countries use the nautical mile and the knot (1 nautical mile/hour) for air and sea travel. This unit was chosen because all longitudes and latitudes---like the equator and meridians---bisect the earth equally, making them all the same length.

Statute/International Miles

The international (statute) mile, described in relation to the international foot, equals 5,280 feet, making it smaller than the aeronautical mile. Statute miles are used mostly in the U.S. and the UK to aid driving and land surveying.

Aeronautical and International Mile Conversions

One aeronautical mile (6,087 ft.) is equivalent to 1.852 kilometers and 1.1508 statute/international miles. One international/statute mile equals 1.609 kilometers and 0.869 aeronautical miles. So, flying the entire length of the equator would be the equivalent of travelling 21,600 aeronautical miles or 24,857 international miles.

References

• Airmiles Maps: Types of Mile
• RGV: Miles Information
• How Stuff Works: What is a nautical mile, and how does it differ from a normal mile and a kilometer?
• "Modern Seamanship"; Don Dodds; 1995

Resources

• Aeronautical Chart Scales and Mile Calculator
• Aviation Speed and Distance Converter
• "Measure for Measure"; Richard A. Young and Thomas J. Glover; 1996