London Heathrow Airport
London, United KingdomLHR / EGLL
International hub · 173 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 12,799 ft
52 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
London → San Francisco
LHR
LondonLondon Heathrow Airport
LondonLondon Heathrow AirportSFO
San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport
San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport- Distance
- 5,354 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~11h 15m
San Francisco is currently 8 hours behind London.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Several times a day
On average around 4.25 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 4.3
- flights per day
- 6
- busiest month · Aug
- 3
- quietest month · Nov
- 10 hr 18 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 3Jan2026
- 3Feb
- 4Mar
- 5Apr
- 4.5May
- 5Jun
- 5Jul
- 6Aug
- 6Sep
- 4Oct2025
- 3Nov
- 3Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
United Airlinesall year
British Airwaysall year
Virgin Atlanticall year
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in London. Most departures between 11:00 and 14:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 4Mon
- 3.7Tue
- 3.5Wed
- 3.8Thu
- 4.1Fri
- 3.7Sat
- 4.1Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 787-9B78930%
- Boeing 777-200B77225%
- Airbus A380A38818%
- Boeing 777-300ERB77W15%
- Airbus A350-1000A35K10%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 3 | 89 |
|
| February 2026 | 3 | 68 |
|
| March 2026 | 4 | 116 |
|
| April 2026 | 5 | 123 |
|
| May 2026 | 4.5 | 110 |
|
| June 2026 | 5 | 152 |
|
| July 2026 | 5 | 163 |
|
| August 2026 | 6 | 158 |
|
| September 2026 | 6 | 170 |
|
| October 2025 | 4 | 75 |
|
| November 2025 | 3 | 87 |
|
| December 2025 | 3 | 75 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on LHR-SFO - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Intercontinental: this route connects two continents.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from London: 173.
- Direct destinations observed from San Francisco: 130.
The airports on this route
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, United StatesSFO / KSFO
International hub · 130 direct destinations · 4 runways · longest runway 11,870 ft
84 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
About the route from London to San Francisco
The observed direct connection between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) covers approximately 5,354 mi. The estimated flight time is around 11h 15m. British Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is London from San Francisco by air?
- The great-circle distance between London Heathrow Airport and San Francisco International Airport is approximately 5,354 mi.
- How long is the flight from London to San Francisco?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 11h 15m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from London to San Francisco?
- Yes, a direct connection between LHR and SFO has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: British Airways, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
- How often is there a flight from London to San Francisco?
- On average around 4.25 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 1,386 observed flights. Mainly United Airlines, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between London and San Francisco?
- San Francisco is currently 8 hours behind London.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.