Knots to miles per hour
Multiply knots by 1.1508 to get miles per hour.
20 kn = 23.0156 mph
How to convert knots to miles per hour
The mile per hour is miles travelled per hour, exactly 1.609344 km/h. The knot is one nautical mile (exactly 1852 m) per hour, used in aviation and at sea.
Worked example — 20 kn: 20 × 1.1508 = 23.0156 mph.
Knots to miles per hour table
| Knots | Miles per hour |
|---|---|
| 1 kn | 1.1508 mph |
| 5 kn | 5.7539 mph |
| 10 kn | 11.5078 mph |
| 15 kn | 17.2617 mph |
| 20 kn | 23.0156 mph |
| 30 kn | 34.5234 mph |
| 50 kn | 57.539 mph |
| 100 kn | 115.0779 mph |
| 150 kn | 172.6169 mph |
Reverse and related
About knots and miles per hour
Knot (kn)
1 kn = 1.1508 mphDefinition. One nautical mile (exactly 1852 m) per hour, used in aviation and at sea
History and origin
The knot dates from sailing ships, where speed was measured by counting knots on a line let out over a set time. One knot is one nautical mile, exactly 1852 metres, per hour.
Current use
Knots are the standard speed unit in aviation and at sea, and are widely used for wind speed.
Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour
Mile per hour (mph)
1 mph = 0.868976 knDefinition. Miles travelled per hour, exactly 1.609344 km/h
History and origin
Miles per hour grew out of the English mile and the hour as roads and railways spread in the nineteenth century. It equals exactly 1.609344 kilometres per hour.
Current use
Miles per hour is the speed unit for road traffic in the United States and United Kingdom, and is common for running pace.
Source: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour
Where people use this
Knots: aviation, sailing and shipping, wind speed. Miles per hour: vehicle speed in the US and UK, speed limits, running pace. A 10-knot wind is about 11.5 mph.
Every value is carried to full double precision; the display is rounded.
Both units are defined in NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C (Tables of Equivalents — international nautical mile); speeds derived from the exact mile, foot and hour.
Questions people ask
How many mph is 10 knots?
A 10-knot wind is about 11.5 mph.
How many mph in a knot?
One knot is about 1.15 mph.
How many mph is 20 knots?
20 knots is about 23 mph.