Convert Feet to Kilometers – Length Converter

This converter uses the international foot, which is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters in the International System of Units (SI). This definition is documented in the NIST Guide to the SI and associated conversion tables published by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The kilometer is the standard SI multiple for longer distances and is defined as exactly 1000 meters. Together, these definitions give a fixed and exact relationship between feet and kilometers.

To convert a distance from feet to kilometers, the tool first relates feet to meters using the exact factor 1 ft = 0.3048 m, and then converts meters to kilometers using 1 km = 1000 m.

Mathematically, the relationship can be written in two equivalent ways: kilometers = feet × 0.3048 ÷ 1000, or more compactly kilometers = feet ÷ 3280.84. Using the exact factor 0.3048, this means 1 foot corresponds to 0.0003048 kilometers.

Example step-by-step: suppose you have 5000 feet. First multiply by 0.3048 to convert to meters: 5000 × 0.3048 = 1524 meters. Then divide by 1000 to convert meters to kilometers: 1524 ÷ 1000 = 1.524 kilometers. The converter performs these steps instantly and shows the rounded output according to your display settings.

Because 0.3048 is exact, any rounding in your result comes only from numerical formatting or from how many significant figures you choose to display, not from the underlying conversion factor itself. For casual uses, three or four significant figures are usually enough; for engineering, surveying, or geospatial projects, you may keep additional digits and apply the rounding rules required by your standard or regulation.

Historically, some U.S. surveying work used the so-called U.S. survey foot, which differs very slightly from the international foot. Modern NIST and federal guidance has transitioned to the international foot for consistency with SI, and the difference is negligible for everyday and most professional uses over modest distances.

Quick reference values: 1 ft = 0.0003048 km, 10 ft = 0.003048 km, 100 ft = 0.03048 km, 1000 ft = 0.3048 km. These values are useful as anchors for mental estimation.

Everyday walking distance: 500 ft × 0.0003048 = 0.1524 km. This might correspond to a short walk across a parking lot or between nearby buildings on a campus.

Running and fitness: A 10,000 ft route is 10,000 × 0.0003048 = 3.048 km, helpful for converting a workout logged in feet or yards to a training plan written in kilometers.

Human height context: Someone who is 6 ft tall has a height of 6 × 0.0003048 = 0.0018288 km, or about 1.83 meters. While kilometers are not normally used for body height, this emphasizes how small a foot is compared with a kilometer.

Geographic and aviation distances: A jet cruising at 32,500 ft is at 32,500 × 0.0003048 ≈ 9.906 km. This type of conversion appears in physics, atmospheric science, and aviation training materials.

Consistency check with miles: Since 1 mile is 5280 ft and 1 mile is approximately 1.609 km, you can check the factor by computing 5280 × 0.0003048 ≈ 1.609 km. This confirms that the foot-to-kilometer relationship is consistent with standard mile-to-kilometer conversions.

This feet to kilometers converter relies on the exact international definitions 1 ft = 0.3048 m and 1 km = 1000 m, as documented by NIST and widely adopted in scientific and engineering practice.

The tool is designed to serve both quick-look users, who only need a reliable number and a short explanatory sentence, and more advanced users, who benefit from step-by-step examples, mental shortcuts, and context drawn from university-level physics and engineering references.