How many mph is 1 knot?

1 knot equals approximately 1.15078 miles per hour. The exact factor is 1852/1609.344 ≈ 1.15078.

A knot (symbol: kn or kt) is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour. One nautical mile is exactly 1852 meters, slightly longer than a statute mile (1609.344 m).

Why do nautical and aviation speeds use knots instead of mph?

Knots relate directly to degrees of latitude — one nautical mile equals one arc-minute of latitude — making navigation calculations simpler. Aviation adopted the same unit for consistency with maritime practice.

How do I convert knots to km/h?

Multiply the knot value by 1.852. For example, 20 kn × 1.852 = 37.04 km/h. This is exact because one nautical mile is defined as exactly 1852 meters.

Is this converter accurate?

Yes. The conversion factors used (1.15078 for mph, 1.852 for km/h, 0.514444 for m/s) are standard international values accurate to at least 6 significant figures.

Knots to MPH Converter

Name: Knots to MPH Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter a speed in knots to instantly see the equivalent in mph, km/h, and m/s.

Speed Input

Quick presets

Miles per Hour

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mph

Kilometers per Hour

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km/h

Meters per Second

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m/s

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Summary

Enter a speed in knots to instantly see the equivalent in mph, km/h, and m/s.

How it works

Enter a speed value in knots (kn) in the input field.
The converter instantly calculates mph by multiplying by 1.15078.
km/h is shown by multiplying knots by 1.852.
m/s is shown by multiplying knots by 0.514444.
Use the result cards to copy any individual unit.
Switch direction with the reverse toggle to convert from mph back to knots.

Use cases

Convert wind speed from a weather station that reports in knots.
Translate ship or aircraft speed for non-nautical audiences.
Cross-check sailing or aviation performance figures.
Quickly compare boat speed in knots vs. road speed in mph.
Convert storm or hurricane wind speeds for news reporting.
Academic or engineering unit-conversion exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-09 · Reviewed by Nham Vu