How far is Skagway, AK from Kenai, AK?

The driving distance from Skagway, AK to Kenai, AK is about 968.8 miles (1559.2 km), with a travel time of about 18h 02m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 554.5 miles (892.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 36h 04m 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
968.84 mi
18h 02m
Flight
554.5 mi
892.38 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Skagway.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
554.5 mi
Kilometers
892.38 km
Flight Time
01h 06m

Driving Distance

Road route
968.84 mi
Kilometers
1559.19 km
Drive Time
18h 02m

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 18h 02m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Kenai
Sat, May 16, 5:41 AM AKDT
Return by in Skagway
Sat, May 16, 11:43 PM AKDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Skagway
2026-05-15T11:38
Arrive Kenai
Sat, May 16, 5:41 AM AKDT
Route Timing
18h 02m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM AKDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:02 AM to 1:32 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
11:56 PM AKDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Skagway
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
Cordova
AK

City in Alaska, USA

From Skagway
403.5 mi
09h 01m
To Kenai
565.3 mi
09h 01m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
47°F
Friday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 15 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph W
Destination
49°F
Friday

Mostly Sunny then Isolated Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, May 15 6:00 AM AKDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Skagway and Kenai.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    63 m · 17 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto State Street

    2100 ft · 32 sec · State Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto 1st Avenue

    111 m · 7 sec · 1st Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Broadway

    1635 ft · 27 sec · Broadway

  5. 5

    At the end of the road, turn right

    140 m · 6 sec

  6. 6

    Continue on Alaska State Ferry Haines-Skagway

    14.8 mi · 45 min · Alaska State Ferry Haines-Skagway

  7. 7

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Haines

    76.4 mi · 8 hr 30 min · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Haines

  8. 8

    Turn sharp right onto Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

    262.6 mi · 17 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat

  9. 9

    Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

    334.5 mi · 22 hr · Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

  10. 10

    Continue straight

    114 m · 7 sec

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn right onto West Camp Road

    53 m · 9 sec · West Camp Road

  12. 12

    Continue on West Camp Road

    1.4 mi · 2 min · West Camp Road

  13. 13

    Continue on Portage Glacier Highway

    4.7 mi · 11 min · Portage Glacier Highway

  14. 14

    Continue on Portage Glacier Road

    5 mi · 7 min · Portage Glacier Road

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Seward Highway

    40.7 mi · 48 min · Seward Highway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 26 min

  17. 17

    Turn right onto Kalifornsky Beach Road

    6 mi · 8 min · Kalifornsky Beach Road

  18. 18

    Turn right onto Bridge Access Road

    3.3 mi · 5 min · Bridge Access Road

  19. 19

    Turn left onto Kenai Spur Highway

    2847 ft · 1 min · Kenai Spur Highway

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    28 m · 6 sec · Broad Street

  21. 21

    Turn right onto Frontage Road

    142 m · 20 sec · Frontage Road

  22. 22

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Frontage Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Skagway 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
22 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
1
0 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
2.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat
335 mi · 35%
Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Yakutat
263 mi · 27%
Seward Highway
99.1 mi · 10%
Alaska Marine Highway - Juneau-Haines
76.4 mi · 8%
Alaska State Ferry Haines-Skagway
14.8 mi · 2%
Kalifornsky Beach Road
5.98 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

Turn sharp left onto Alaska Marine Highway - Whittier-Yakutat

334 mi · 22h 00m

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
18h 02m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
36h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+414.3 mi
554.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cordova
09h 01m from Skagway
Leave By
11:56 PM AKDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Skagway and Mostly Sunny then Isolated Rain Showers near Kenai.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Skagway to Kenai?

The road trip is about 968.8 miles (1559.2 km) and usually takes 18h 02m 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?

Cordova is a useful midpoint, sitting about 403.5 miles from Skagway and 565.3 miles from Kenai.

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

The direct path is about 554.5 miles (892.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 414.3 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 $169.27 one way or $338.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 303.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Skagway and Mostly Sunny then Isolated Rain Showers near Kenai.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Skagway and Kenai. Straight-line distance: 554.5 mi (892.38 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Skagway

City in Alaska, United States

Population1,183
Coordinates59.4583300, -135.3138900
Altitude8
CountryUnited States
Kenai

#2 Kenai

City in Alaska

Population7,890
Coordinates60.5544400, -151.2583300
Altitude22
CountryUnited States
Start: (-135.31381, 59.458372)
End: Frontage Road (-151.258293, 60.554244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 1559 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)32h 16m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)24h 13m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)19h 22m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)16h 08m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)13h 50m
80 mph (129 km/h)12h 05m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
34.19 gal
129.41 L · about $169.27
Round trip
$338.55
68.38 gal · 258.82 L
Estimated CO2
303.8 kg one way
Round trip: 607.7 kg / 1340 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.95 $169.27 $338.55
Mid-grade $5.34 $182.51 $365.01
Premium $5.57 $190.30 $380.60
Diesel $6.37 $217.65 $435.31

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 · May 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Skagway and Kenai. The current time is 11:38:57.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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