The 2026 NFL season will not only test teams on the field, but also in the air. With the release of projected team travel distances for the upcoming season, several franchises are preparing for a grueling amount of miles across the country.
Leading the NFL in total projected travel are the San Francisco 49ers, who are expected to travel a league-high 38,105 miles during the 2026 season. Close behind are the Los Angeles Rams at 34,847 miles, while the Houston Texans rank third with 28,470 miles traveled.
NFL Teams With the Most Travel Miles in 2026
Here are the top 10 NFL teams projected to travel the most during the 2026 regular season:
- San Francisco 49ers — 38,105 miles
- Los Angeles Rams — 34,847 miles
- Houston Texans — 28,470 miles
- Dallas Cowboys — 27,980 miles
- New England Patriots — 27,590 miles
- Miami Dolphins — 27,568 miles
- Los Angeles Chargers — 24,816 miles
- Jacksonville Jaguars — 23,392 miles
- Philadelphia Eagles — 22,115 miles
- Seattle Seahawks — 22,056 miles
West Coast teams once again dominate the top of the list due to long cross-country road trips and international travel possibilities tied to the NFL’s expanding global schedule.
Teams With the Least Travel in 2026
At the other end of the spectrum, the Carolina Panthers will travel the fewest miles in the NFL this season at just 8,740 miles. The Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears also benefit from relatively travel-friendly schedules.
The five teams with the least projected travel are:
- Carolina Panthers — 8,740 miles
- Cleveland Browns — 9,073 miles
- Chicago Bears — 10,676 miles
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 12,185 miles
- Green Bay Packers — 12,673 miles
Why NFL Travel Miles Matter
Travel can play a major role in NFL performance throughout a long season. Teams dealing with multiple coast-to-coast trips often face challenges related to recovery, time zone changes, and shorter preparation windows.
The 49ers and Rams, for example, routinely log some of the highest mileage totals because of their West Coast location combined with national primetime schedules and East Coast road games.
Meanwhile, teams with lower travel totals may gain a slight competitive advantage through reduced fatigue and more stable weekly routines.
Full NFL 2026 Travel Rankings
The middle of the pack includes teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons, and Pittsburgh Steelers, all projected to travel between 14,000 and 18,500 miles during the season.
As the NFL continues to expand internationally and increase cross-country matchups, travel demands are becoming a bigger storyline every year.
Fans will soon see whether heavy travel schedules impact playoff races once the 2026 NFL regular season officially kicks off.