Using publicly available speed figures, a U.S. aircraft carrier's straight-line, 5,150-nautical-mile trip from San Diego to Yokosuka is estimated at nearly eight days at a continuous 30 knots, or almost 11 days at its roughly 20-knot cruising speed.
The Navy's actual top speeds are classified. The article says Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers generally cruise at about 20 knots and can sustain speeds above 30 knots. The route estimate runs from Naval Air Station North Island to U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka.
The estimates exclude delays or detours caused by bad weather and other hazards. Sustained high speed can strain systems and make it harder for a carrier to keep formation with its strike group. Pearl Harbor in Hawaii can serve as a stopover along the route.
