LHR to SFO: Distance and Flight Time
The distance from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 8,616 km (5,354 mi). A typical nonstop flight covers it in about 11h 15m, heading northwest. The distance is the same in either direction (SFO to LHR).
How far is it from London to San Francisco?
The great-circle distance between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 8,616 km (5,354 mi, 4,652 nautical miles). That is the straight-line distance; a real flight is a little longer because of air-traffic routing.
How long is the flight from LHR to SFO?
A nonstop flight typically takes about 11h 15m. This is an estimate from the distance; actual block times depend on the aircraft, winds and the exact routing. SFO is roughly northwest of LHR.
How is the LHR to SFO route written in code?
The pair is written LHR-SFO in IATA codes and EGLL-KSFO in ICAO codes, the form used on a flight plan. London Heathrow Airport is LHR (EGLL), San Francisco International Airport is SFO (KSFO).
| LHR | SFO | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | London Heathrow Airport | San Francisco International Airport |
| ICAO code | EGLL | KSFO |
| Country | United Kingdom | United States |
| Elevation | 83 ft | 13 ft |
| Rank by connections | #4 | #46 |
EGLL starts with E, the ICAO prefix for northern Europe; KSFO starts with K, the prefix for the contiguous United States. How ICAO prefixes are laid out.
The two fields sit at almost the same height, within 70 ft (21 m) of each other.
Airlines flying LHR to SFO
4 airlines appear on this route in the open route dataset, 4 of them still listed as active. Each row gives the IATA code, the ICAO code and the radio callsign, which is what an air traffic controller hears:
| IATA | Airline | ICAO | Callsign | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AY | Finnair | FIN | Finnair | Active |
| BA | British Airways | BAW | Speedbird | Active |
| UA | United Airlines | UAL | United | Active |
| VS | Virgin Atlantic Airways | VIR | Virgin | Active |
A further 6 carriers sell this pair as a codeshare without operating it: AA, DL, IB, LH, NZ, UN.
Route and carrier data comes from the OpenFlights open dataset, regenerated here on . It is a historical snapshot of scheduled connections, not a live schedule, and it includes codeshare listings, so some carriers shown may no longer operate the route or exist. How we build this · Data and sources.
Frequently asked questions
How far is London from San Francisco?
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are 8,616 km (5,354 mi, 4,652 nautical miles) apart in a straight line.
How long is the flight from LHR to SFO?
A typical nonstop flight between LHR and SFO takes about 11h 15m. Actual times vary with aircraft type, winds and routing.
What direction is SFO from LHR?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) lies roughly northwest of London Heathrow Airport (LHR).
Which airlines fly LHR to SFO?
4 airlines appear on the LHR-SFO route in the open dataset, including Finnair, British Airways, United Airlines.
Related routes
Other routes from London (LHR):
Other routes from San Francisco (SFO):
LHR airport code · SFO airport code · Busiest airports worldwide