Convert Knot (kt) to Kilometer/Hour (km/h) instantly.
About these units
Knot (kt)
A knot is equal to one nautical mile per hour, or 1.852 km/h, and is the standard unit of speed in aviation and maritime navigation. Knots are intimately linked to navigation because nautical miles represent distances along Earth's spherical surface. A ship or aircraft traveling at 1 knot moves over one minute of arc of latitude in one hour—reflecting its origins in astronomical navigation. Using knots allows mariners and pilots to integrate seamlessly with charts, headings, coordinate systems, and wind speed conventions. The unit symbolizes centuries of seafaring tradition and remains indispensable for global navigation.
Kilometer/Hour (km/h)
The kilometer per hour is a widely used everyday speed unit, especially in transportation. Most countries use km/h for automobile speed limits, train speeds, and vehicle specifications because it aligns naturally with metric distances. Although less mathematically convenient than m/s, km/h provides a human-friendly scale: speeds of 30–120 km/h correspond well to familiar travel activities. Converting between the two units is straightforward (1 m/s = 3.6 km/h), allowing scientists to work in m/s while communicating results in km/h. The use of km/h reflects society's need for intuitive, coarse-grained measurements while maintaining compatibility with scientific standards. Its ubiquity makes it one of the world's most recognized speed measures.