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Convert knots to mph
Convert knot (kn) to miles per hour (mph) instantly. Free, no signup, nothing is uploaded — everything runs in your browser.
Knot to Miles per hour conversion table
| Knot [kn] | Miles per hour [mph] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.01150779 |
| 0.1 | 0.11507794 |
| 1 | 1.15077945 |
| 2 | 2.3015589 |
| 3 | 3.45233834 |
| 5 | 5.75389724 |
| 10 | 11.50779448 |
| 20 | 23.01558896 |
| 50 | 57.5389724 |
| 100 | 115.0779448 |
| 1,000 | 1,150.77944802 |
How to convert knot to miles per hour
mph = kn × 1.15078
Example: 50 kn = 50 × 1.15078 = 57.54 mph
To convert back (miles per hour to knot): kn = mph ÷ 1.15078
What is a knot?
A knot (kn) is a unit of speed equal to 1 nautical mile per hour. Standard for marine and aviation speed.
What is a miles per hour?
A mile per hour (mph) is an imperial and US customary unit of speed equal to 1 mile per hour. Standard for road speed in the US and UK.
When do you need to convert knot to miles per hour?
Sailing and yacht racing: boat speed is universally quoted in knots, not mph. A 25-knot day sail is 28.77 mph; a 6-knot hull speed for a 30 ft sailboat is 6.9 mph. Regatta results, race tracking apps (YachtBot, SailTimer), and chartplotters all use knots. Crew briefing on wind speed requires the conversion too: 20 knots of wind is 23.02 mph.
Aviation: aircraft airspeed indicators show knots almost everywhere (the US, EU, Asia, Africa, South America), while US general aviation is the last major holdout using mph in some light aircraft. A Cessna 172 cruises at 110–120 knots (126–138 mph); a Boeing 737 cruises at 450 knots (518 mph). Flight plans, ATC vectors, and METAR winds are all in knots.
Weather and marine forecasts: hurricane categories are defined by wind speed in knots. A Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds of 64–82 knots (74–94 mph); a Category 5 has sustained winds of 137+ knots (157+ mph). Marine forecast areas and shipping forecasts use knots. A small craft advisory starts at 18–33 knots (21–38 mph).
Frequently asked questions
How many mph is 1 knot?
1 knot = 1.15078 mph, by exact definition (1 international nautical mile = 1,852 m, and 1 statute mile = 1,609.344 m, so 1 kn = 1,852 ÷ 1,609.344 = 1.15078 mph). 10 knots = 11.51 mph, 20 knots = 23.02 mph, 50 knots = 57.54 mph, 100 knots = 115.08 mph.
What is 1 knot in km/h?
1 knot = 1.852 km/h, by exact definition (1 nautical mile per hour = 1,852 m/h = 1.852 km/h). This is the "magic number" of knots: multiply knots by 1.852 to get km/h. 10 knots = 18.52 km/h, 50 knots = 92.6 km/h, 100 knots = 185.2 km/h.
Why are nautical miles different from statute miles?
A nautical mile is defined as 1 minute of arc of the Earth meridian — exactly 1,852 m. It is the natural unit for navigation because 1 minute of latitude is 1 nautical mile anywhere on Earth, which makes chart-to-chart distance calculations trivial. A statute mile (5,280 ft = 1,609.344 m) is a land-based unit. Boats and planes use nautical miles and knots because of this direct latitude/longitude relationship; cars and trains use statute miles.
How fast is 100 knots in mph?
100 knots = 115.08 mph. For context: 100 knots is a strong tropical storm (just below Category 1 hurricane); a small plane at cruise; a fast yacht in good wind. On a boat speedometer showing 10 knots, you are doing 11.51 mph; the skipper says "we are making 8 knots" and the passengers think they are going 8 mph, but they are actually doing 9.21 mph.