Winter Olympics Milan 2026: Which Countries Will Travel The Furthest To Compete in 2026 Games?

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Winter Olympics Milan 2026: Which Countries Will Travel The Furthest To Compete in 2026 Games?

Key Highlights:

  • Switzerland (and Liechtenstein) have the shortest trip to the 2026 Winter Olympics at 126.97 miles.
  • New Zealand has the longest journey at 11,500.88 miles.
  • The five longest trips come from Oceania and South America.

Sportscasting.com analyzed flight distance data to show how far each country must travel to reach the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Using miles as the standard, the gap between the closest and furthest countries is enormous, with some trips shorter than a commuter train ride and others longer than a full day in the air.

Countries With The Shortest Trips To The 2026 Winter Olympics

Europe dominates the short list because most of these trips are a short flight, a quick connection, or even realistic ground travel depending on the route. Switzerland and Liechtenstein share the same main airport (ZRH), so they land as the same shortest-distance entry.

  • Switzerland (Liechtenstein) (ZRH) — 126.97 miles
  • Monaco (NCE) — 155.24 miles
  • San Marino (RMI) — 220.84 miles
  • Slovenia (LJU) — 279.10 miles
  • Luxembourg (LUX) — 299.92 miles

Countries With The Longest Trips To The 2026 Winter Olympics

These are the countries facing the most travel time. They’re coming from the far edges of the map relative to Northern Italy, which usually means long flights, multiple connections, and tighter recovery windows once they arrive.

  • New Zealand (AKL) — 11,500.88 miles
  • Australia (SYD) — 10,308.69 miles
  • Chile (SCL) — 7,360.37 miles
  • Argentina (EZE) — 6,946.53 miles
  • Uruguay (MVD) — 6,854.71 miles

Flight Distance To The 2026 Winter Olympics By Country

Country Main Airport Distance (Miles)
New Zealand AKL 11500.88
Australia SYD 10308.69
Chile SCL 7360.37
Argentina EZE 6946.53
Uruguay MVD 6854.71
Philippines MNL 6535.05
Bolivia LPB 6415.77
Singapore SIN 6407.78
Malaysia KUL 6229.69
Ecuador UIO 6085.20
Mexico MEX 6084.40
Japan NRT 6071.64
Chinese Taipei TPE 5989.84
Brazil GRU 5881.06
Hong Kong HKG 5824.72
Thailand BKK 5647.98
Colombia BOG 5644.54
South Korea ICN 5529.10
Jamaica KIN 5134.18
South Africa JNB 5088.73
Madagascar TNR 5055.98
China PEK 5041.76
Venezuela CCS 5011.18
Haiti PAP 4888.48
Trinidad and Tobago POS 4738.46
Puerto Rico SJU 4591.47
Mongolia UBN 4329.82
United States IAD 4221.96
Canada YYZ 4119.28
India DEL 3833.88
Kenya NBO 3663.17
Pakistan ISB 3426.65
Kyrgyzstan FRU 3168.93
Uzbekistan TAS 2987.73
United Arab Emirates DXB 2928.59
Kazakhstan TSE 2826.09
Guinea-Bissau OXB 2730.93
Benin COO 2730.92
Eritrea ASM 2726.85
Nigeria LOS 2708.61
Saudi Arabia RUH 2540.23
Iran IKA 2312.08
Azerbaijan GYD 2098.09
Armenia EVN 1833.63
Georgia TBS 1820.65
Iceland KEF 1748.91
Israel TLV 1683.35
Lebanon BEY 1630.56
Cyprus LCA 1501.82
Finland HEL 1213.60
Morocco CMN 1210.54
Estonia TLL 1163.62
Ukraine KBP 1073.77
Turkey IST 1047.79
Sweden ARN 1041.42
Portugal LIS 1028.22
Latvia RIX 1018.16
Norway OSL 1011.73
Moldova KIV 968.98
Lithuania VNO 959.29
Greece ATH 946.05
Ireland DUB 859.73
Romania OTP 850.35
Bulgaria SOF 755.92
Malta MLA 738.29
Poland WAW 715.90
Spain MAD 714.97
Denmark CPH 711.27
North Macedonia SKP 691.75
Kosovo PRN 646.91
Albania TIA 623.46
Great Britain LHR 582.48
Montenegro TGD 570.51
Serbia BEG 567.44
Hungary BUD 516.66
Germany BER 513.35
Netherlands AMS 495.31
Bosnia and Herzegovina SJJ 488.56
Andorra BCN 448.38
Slovakia BTS 438.04
Belgium BRU 413.29
Austria VIE 408.81
Czech Republic PRG 401.67
France CDG 372.32
Croatia ZAG 355.28
Italy FCO 317.47
Luxembourg LUX 299.92
Slovenia LJU 279.10
San Marino RMI 220.84
Monaco NCE 155.24
Switzerland ZRH 126.97
Liechtenstein ZRH 126.97

How Flight Distance Shapes Travel To The 2026 Winter Olympics

For nearby European countries, travel is simple and fast. For athletes and fans coming from Oceania, Asia, or the Americas, the journey itself becomes a factor. Long-haul flights mean more fatigue, longer recovery, and tighter scheduling once on the ground.

The difference between a 127-mile trip and an 11,500-mile trip is not just time. It changes how people plan, how early they arrive, and how much margin for error they have once competition begins.