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.