How far is Prudhoe Bay, AK from Kenai, AK?

The driving distance from Prudhoe Bay, AK to Kenai, AK is about 1012.9 miles (1630.1 km), with a travel time of about 20h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 675.3 miles (1086.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 41h 17m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
1012.92 mi
20h 38m
Flight
675.31 mi
1086.81 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Prudhoe Bay.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
675.31 mi
Kilometers
1086.81 km
Flight Time
01h 21m

Driving Distance

Road route
1012.92 mi
Kilometers
1630.14 km
Drive Time
20h 38m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 20h 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kenai
Fri, Oct 16, 10:22 AM AKDT
Return by in Prudhoe Bay
Sat, Oct 17, 7:01 AM AKDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Prudhoe Bay
2026-10-15T13:43
Arrive Kenai
Fri, Oct 16, 10:22 AM AKDT
Route Timing
20h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:39 AM to 4:09 AM AKDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
6:42 PM AKDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Prudhoe Bay
8:00 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Ester
AK

Census designated place

From Prudhoe Bay
505.7 mi
10h 19m
To Kenai
507.2 mi
10h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
24°F
Thursday

Cloudy then Areas Of Blowing Snow

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
5 to 30 mph E
Destination
45°F
Today

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM AKDT
Wind
15 to 25 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Prudhoe Bay and Kenai.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Prudhoe Bay and Kenai.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    1.3 mi · 3 min

  2. 2

    Continue straight

    1044 ft · 29 sec

  3. 3

    Turn slight left

    53 m · 5 sec

  4. 4

    Turn straight onto Spine Road

    3 mi · 7 min · Spine Road

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Colleen Lake Road

    1.5 km · 2 min · Colleen Lake Road

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Dalton Highway

    415.8 mi · 14 hr 21 min · Dalton Highway

  7. 7

    Continue on Elliott Highway

    68.1 mi · 1 hr 39 min · Elliott Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Steese Highway

    9 mi · 12 min · Steese Highway

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Johansen Expressway

    4.2 mi · 5 min · Johansen Expressway

  10. 10

    Continue on Geist Road

    1.5 mi · 2 min · Geist Road

  11. 11

    Take the exit right

    1854 ft · 45 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto George Parks Highway

    299.9 mi · 5 hr 59 min · George Parks Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on West Parks Highway

    18.7 mi · 26 min · West Parks Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Glenn Highway

    33.1 mi · 38 min · Glenn Highway

  15. 15

    Continue on East 5th Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · East 5th Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Gambell Street

    1.1 mi · 3 min · Gambell Street

  17. 17

    Continue on Seward Highway

    87.9 mi · 1 hr 46 min · Seward Highway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 26 min

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Kalifornsky Beach Road

    6 mi · 8 min · Kalifornsky Beach Road

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Bridge Access Road

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Bridge Access Road

  21. 21

    Turn left onto Kenai Spur Highway

    2847 ft · 1 min · Kenai Spur Highway

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    28 m · 6 sec · Broad Street

  23. 23

    Turn right onto Frontage Road

    142 m · 20 sec · Frontage Road

  24. 24

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frontage Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Prudhoe Bay and Kenai.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
24 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dalton Highway
416 mi · 41%
George Parks Highway
300 mi · 30%
Seward Highway
146 mi · 14%
Elliott Highway
68.1 mi · 7%
Glenn Highway
33.1 mi · 3%
West Parks Highway
18.7 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Dalton Highway

Turn left onto Dalton Highway

416 mi · 14h 21m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
20h 38m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
41h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+337.6 mi
675.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ester
10h 19m from Prudhoe Bay
Leave By
6:42 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Cloudy then Areas Of Blowing Snow leaving Prudhoe Bay and Chance Light Rain near Kenai.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Prudhoe Bay to Kenai?

The road trip is about 1012.9 miles (1630.1 km) and usually takes 20h 38m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Ester is a useful midpoint, sitting about 505.7 miles from Prudhoe Bay and 507.2 miles from Kenai.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 675.3 miles (1086.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 337.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $178.06 one way or $356.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 317.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Cloudy then Areas Of Blowing Snow around Prudhoe Bay and Chance Light Rain near Kenai.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Prudhoe Bay and Kenai. Straight-line distance: 675.31 mi (1086.81 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Prudhoe Bay

This remote Alaskan outpost, situated at an elevation of 46 feet in the North Slope Borough, is a key industrial center on the Arctic coast.

Population0
Coordinates70.2552800, -148.3372200
Altitude14
CountryUnited States
Kenai

#2 Kenai

City in Alaska

Population7,890
Coordinates60.5544400, -151.2583300
Altitude22
CountryUnited States
Start: east dock (-148.336804, 70.254674)
End: Frontage Road (-151.258293, 60.554244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1630 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)33h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)25h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)20h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)16h 52m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)14h 28m
80 mph (129 km/h)12h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
35.74 gal
135.3 L · about $178.06
Round trip
$356.11
71.48 gal · 270.6 L
Estimated CO2
317.6 kg one way
Round trip: 635.2 kg / 1400 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.98 $178.06 $356.11
Mid-grade $5.23 $186.96 $373.91
Premium $5.45 $194.71 $389.42
Diesel $6.57 $234.81 $469.62

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Alaska · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Prudhoe Bay and Kenai. The current time is 13:43:24.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.