Trip mileage calculators can tally the length of road trips, provide travelers with estimated fuel costs, and help gauge what to expect for flight mileage accrual. Some websites have simple, nifty travel calculators that do the math for you, while others provide full-blown trip planning tools.
Online Road Trip Calculators
Google Maps
If you want to calculate mileage from point A to point B, Google Maps is a top-notch tool to. It covers destinations across the world, allowing you to calculate mileage for trips abroad as well as at home. Their nifty application allows you to drag the line representing your route and change your path so that you can incorporate your favorite driving shortcut or scenic byway into your trip calculations. At the bottom of the directions section, Google Maps includes an estimated fuel cost. You can also search near your location for restaurants, hotels, museums, and car rental establishments.
MapQuest
MapQuest has all the same bells and whistles as Google Maps, making it an excellent resource for travelers who want to know the mileage between destinations and have access to other travel-related information. MapQuest's overseas directions are given in miles, while Google's are provided in kilometers.
Map Crow
The online calculator from Map Crow is slower than Google Maps and MapQuest. It requires you to enter the country using a dropdown list, and often second guesses what you choose. In the end it displays a map from Google Maps. It does not allow you to drag and drop your route.However, an advantage is that the site gives the distance calculations in both miles and kilometers. It also has a handy table of common United States distances.
AAA
AAA allows you to plan all aspects of your trip on their website. Their TripTik Planner is an interactive tool that lets you plan and save your trips, and shows you the mileage between destinations. It suggests places to eat, gas locations, and shows you hotels and their ratings using the AAA four diamond system. You can also call AAA on the phone for assistance with trip planning.
Other Road Trip Calculator Options
GPS
A GPS, or Global Positioning System, can help vehicle owners navigate on the road, calculate mileage between two points, and find points of interest along the way. Many cars and car rentals come with GPS installed in the dashboard, or you can purchase a standalone Garmin or TomTom unit. Take time to review GPS systems online before purchasing, and use them in conjunction with traditional planning tools and maps.
Paper Maps
While high-tech calculators can help you determine distances and prices, don't underestimate the power of a road map or a printed map that you create for your trip. When out on the road, GPS can fail, cell phones may be out of range, but a good, recent paper map can quickly show you tables of common distances and get you safely to your next destination.
Fuel Cost Calculators
AAA Fuel Cost Calculator
AAA's Fuel Cost Calculator can calculate your gas cost based on your car's make and model. The calculator is limited to trips in the United States.
TripCalculator.org
Tripcalculator.org is great for calculating the exact cost of gas between two locations. It allows you to enter your specific car's gas mileage and your average speed. It shows you distances in your choice of miles or kilometers.
One major drawback to this calculator is that it calculates distances based on direct distances instead of the actual roads you would take. This can render your mileage shorter than it should be. To offset this drawback, use Google Maps (or another online calculator) to find your driving route and the actual mileage first. When you visit Trip Calculator, making sure that the route of your trip equals the exact same mileage you know your trip is going to take.
Airline Trip Mileage Calculators
Most airlines have a section of their website dedicated to frequent fliers or mileage programs. Some include trip calculators to help customers understand how many miles they will receive for their flight travel. In addition, the specialized websites below help travelers manage their frequent flier accounts.
- MileManager is a full-service website that requires membership. They help you track your trips, as well as provide notifications to maximize mileage use.
- The Web Flyer Mileage Calculator is a simple and clear calculator used to calculate flight distances.
Calculators for Every Trip
Travelers will find ease in planning their next road trip, figuring out fuel costs, or evaluating how many frequent flier miles they may earn for a flight with the help of online calculators and trip planners. Whether traveling by plane or car, these resources provide many options for determining the distance of a trip.
