How much distance does the Panama Canal save ships traveling between the U.S. coasts?

By providing a shortcut across the Isthmus of Panama, the Panama Canal allows ships traveling between the east and west coasts of the United States to avoid the long, arduous journey around Cape Horn in South America.12

Using the canal shortens this voyage by approximately 8,000 nautical miles (about 15,000 km). For example, a trip between New York City and San Francisco that would span roughly 13,000 miles when traveling around South America is reduced to approximately 5,200 miles by transiting the canal.23