How long does it take for a plane to land?

When the captain announces the start of the descent, the aircraft is usually still at 11,000-12,000 m (36,000-39,000 ft) and more than 150 km from the airport. Pilots calculate the top-of-descent point with a simple rule: about three nautical miles of distance are needed for every thousand feet to be lost, giving a continuous descent of roughly 3 degrees. From cruise level that works out to between 100 and 120 nautical miles (185-220 km) and around 20 to 25 minutes with the engines close to idle. A continuous descent, without level-offs, saves fuel and noise, and is what controllers try to enable when traffic allows. Below 3,000 m (10,000 ft), speed is limited in many airspaces to 250 knots (463 km/h), which slightly lengthens the final phase.

About 20-30 km from the runway the aircraft intercepts the approach path, usually guided by an ILS or by satellite navigation, and begins extending flaps in stages. The landing gear comes down between 2,000 and 1,500 feet above the ground, and with the aircraft in its final configuration it slows to its landing reference speed, which for a single-aisle jet is around 130-145 knots (240-270 km/h) depending on weight. The stabilised final approach, from about 1,000 feet to the threshold, lasts between three and five minutes; during this segment procedures require speed, configuration, flight path and rate of descent to already be set. If something doesn't add up, the correct call is to go around and climb away.

At about 6-9 m (20-30 ft) above the runway the pilot raises the nose slightly to reduce the rate of descent, known as the flare, and the aircraft touches down on the main gear between 300 and 600 m past the threshold, within the marked touchdown zone. From there, three systems take over: spoilers, which deploy on the wing to kill lift and put weight on the wheels; the brakes, often set to a preselected autobrake level; and reverse thrust, which redirects part of the engine jet forward. An airliner slows from around 250 km/h to taxi speed in 30-60 seconds over 1,500-2,500 m, depending on weight, wet or dry runway, airport altitude and wind. Certification requires landing distances shorter than the available runway with safety margins, and airlines add further factors in day-to-day operations.

A light aircraft lands at 100 km/h and stops within 300-400 m; a widebody at maximum landing weight needs considerably more runway and brakes with more energy going into the wheels, which can reach high temperatures. High-altitude airports, such as those in the Andes or some in Africa, lengthen distances because thinner air forces higher true airspeeds. And the part passengers notice most, the taxi to the gate, can take anywhere from two minutes to more than a quarter of an hour at very large airports.