✈️ Flight Radiation Calculator
Estimate the cosmic radiation dose you receive during a flight based on how long you’re in the air and your route.
Why flying exposes you to more radiation
At cruising altitude, aircraft have much thinner atmosphere above them, so passengers and crew receive a higher dose of cosmic radiation than at sea level. Typical in-flight dose rates published by aviation and radiation-safety authorities range from about 3 microsieverts per hour on shorter, lower-latitude routes up to 8 or more microsieverts per hour on long polar routes, which pass closer to the magnetic poles where cosmic ray exposure is higher.
How this calculator works
The calculator multiplies your flight’s duration by a typical dose rate for your route type to estimate the radiation dose for a single flight, then multiplies that by how many similar flights you take per year to estimate an annual total from flying.
These are general educational estimates based on typical published averages, not a personalized dosimetry reading — actual dose varies with altitude, solar activity, latitude, and exact flight path. For context, average annual background radiation exposure from all sources is around 2,000-3,000 microsieverts.