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kn
Speednavigationmarineaviation

What is a knot?

The standard speed unit in marine and air navigation

Definition

The knot equals one nautical mile per hour — 1.852 km/h. It is the international standard in marine navigation and aviation. Commercial airliners cruise at 450–500 knots. Sailboats in light breeze: 2–6 knots.

Common uses

  • Ship speeds and ocean currents
  • Aircraft airspeed and ground speed
  • Marine weather (wind reports in knots)

🌍 Real-world scale

Airbus A380 cruise: ~490 knots. Cruise ship: 20 knots. Sailing yacht: 6 knots typical.

Convert from knots

9 conversions
Knot to Kilometer per Hour1 kn = 1.852 km/hKnot to Meter per Second1 kn = 0.5144 m/sKnot to Mile per Hour1 kn = 1.15078 mphKnot to Mach1 kn = 0.001512 MaKnot to Foot per Second1 kn = 1.68781 ft/sKnot to Centimeter per Second1 kn = 51.4444 cm/sKnot to Yard per Minute1 kn = 33.7562 yd/minKnot to Inch per Minute1 kn = 1,216.18 in/minKnot to Beaufort Scale1 kn = 0.5144 Bft

Convert to knots

9 conversions
Kilometer per Hour to Knot1 km/h = 0.54 knMeter per Second to Knot1 m/s = 1.94384 knMile per Hour to Knot1 mph = 0.869 knMach to Knot1 Ma = 661.471 knFoot per Second to Knot1 ft/s = 0.5925 knCentimeter per Second to Knot1 cm/s = 0.01944 knYard per Minute to Knot1 yd/min = 0.02962 knInch per Minute to Knot1 in/min = 0.0008222 knBeaufort Scale to Knot1 Bft = 1.94384 kn

Tips

  • 1 knot = 1.852 km/h = 1.151 mph.
  • Knots cannot be abbreviated "kt" in sailing — standard is "kn".
  • A 40-knot wind is storm-force — 74 km/h.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 40 knots as 40 km/h in weather — 74 km/h is much stronger.
  • Using "knots per hour" — already a rate; it's just "knots".
  • Treating knot as a distance unit — it's always a speed.

FAQ about the knot

What is a knot?
The knot equals one nautical mile per hour — 1.852 km/h. It is the international standard in marine navigation and aviation. Commercial airliners cruise at 450–500 knots. Sailboats in light breeze: 2–6 knots.
Where is the knot used?
The knot is commonly used for: Ship speeds and ocean currents; Aircraft airspeed and ground speed; Marine weather (wind reports in knots).
What is an example of a knot in real life?
Airbus A380 cruise: ~490 knots. Cruise ship: 20 knots. Sailing yacht: 6 knots typical.
What category does the knot belong to?
The knot is a unit of speed, part of the 10-unit speed category on UnitConv.
How accurate are knot conversions?
All conversion factors follow NIST and BIPM international standards to 8 significant figures — the highest practical accuracy.
Explore all 10 speed units and their conversions.🚀 Speed hub →