Kilometer per Hour to Knot Converter
Enter a value to instantly convert between speed units.
1 Kilometer per Hour = 0.54 Knot
Key Formulas
Kilometer per Hour → Mile per Hour
mph = km/h × 0.621371Mile per Hour → Kilometer per Hour
km/h = mph × 1.60934Knot → Mile per Hour
mph = kn × 1.15078Mile per Hour → Knot
kn = mph × 0.868976Formula
kn = km/h × 0.5399568Knots are the standard speed unit in aviation and maritime navigation worldwide, while weather services in many countries report wind speeds in km/h. Sailors planning a coastal passage with a metric weather forecast, or pilots filing international flight plans, need to convert between the two. The knot is defined as one nautical mile per hour, and nautical miles are tied to latitude, making them natural for navigation.
Source: NIST SP 811, Table B.8
Frequently Asked Questions
Real-World Examples
Moderate breeze — a metric weather forecast of 15 km/h means about 8 knots, well within comfortable sailing conditions for a cruising yacht.
15 km/h = 8.1 kn
Tropical storm to hurricane threshold — sustained winds of 118 km/h equal 64 knots, the World Meteorological Organization boundary for hurricane classification.
118 km/h = 63.73 kn
Typical commercial jet cruising speed — 900 km/h converts to about 486 knots, matching the cruise speed of a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.
900 km/h = 485.96 kn
Speed of sound at sea level (Mach 1) — just over 667 knots, the benchmark used in aviation to define the supersonic threshold.
1235 km/h = 667.01 kn