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NFL
Panthers' 2026 schedule gives them a big advantage over rest of NFL
TL;DR
The Carolina Panthers will have the lowest travel mileage in the NFL for the 2026 season, flying only 8,740 miles. However, they face one of the toughest schedules, projected to be the third most difficult in the league.
Key points
- Panthers have the lowest travel mileage in the NFL for 2026
- Projected to fly only 8,740 miles
- Chicago Bears have the second lowest mileage at 10,676 miles
- Panthers face the third most difficult schedule in the league
- Travel schedule lacks west coast and international games
Carolina PanthersChicago BearsMinnesota VikingsCleveland Browns
The Carolina Panthers won't have to go too far to get through the regular season.
Per ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Panthers' literal journey for the upcoming campaign will feature the lowest total amount of air miles for 2026. Carolina is projected to fly 8,740 miles—almost 2,000 miles less than the next closest team (Chicago Bears, 10,676).
That league-low mileage can be attributed, in large part, to the absence of west coast and international games. The furthest the Panthers have to travel is to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Vikings—with other road opponents including the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and the rest of the NFC South.
While their travel schedule may not be difficult, at least compared to rest of the NFL, the Panthers are set to defend their division title against one of the toughest slates of the year. Based off win projections from the oddsmakers in Vegas, Carolina will have the third-most difficult schedule in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire:
Q&A
How many miles will the Carolina Panthers travel in 2026?
The Carolina Panthers are projected to travel 8,740 miles during the 2026 season.
Which NFL team has the second lowest travel mileage in 2026?
The Chicago Bears have the second lowest travel mileage in 2026, with 10,676 miles.
What is the difficulty ranking of the Panthers' schedule in 2026?
The Panthers are set to have the third most difficult schedule in the NFL for the 2026 season.