San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, United StatesSFO / KSFO
International hub · 130 direct destinations · 4 runways · longest runway 11,870 ft
71 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
San Francisco → London
SFO
San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport
San FranciscoSan Francisco International AirportLHR
LondonLondon Heathrow Airport
LondonLondon Heathrow Airport- Distance
- 5,354 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~11h 15m
London is currently 8 hours ahead of San Francisco.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Several times a day
On average around 4.5 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 4.5
- flights per day
- 6
- busiest month · Jun
- 3
- quietest month · Oct
- 9 hr 42 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 4Jan2026
- 4Feb
- 4Mar
- 5Apr
- 5May
- 6Jun
- 6Jul
- 5Aug
- 5Sep
- 3Oct2025
- 4Nov
- 3Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
British Airwaysall year
United Airlinesall year
Virgin Atlanticall year
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in San Francisco. Most departures between 17:00 and 20:00.
- 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
- 4.4Mon
- 4Tue
- 4Wed
- 3.8Thu
- 4.3Fri
- 4.2Sat
- 4.4Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 787-9B78932%
- Boeing 777-300ERB77W21%
- Boeing 777-200B77219%
- Airbus A380A38818%
- Airbus A350-1000A35K9%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 4 | 108 |
|
| February 2026 | 4 | 103 |
|
| March 2026 | 4 | 112 |
|
| April 2026 | 5 | 126 |
|
| May 2026 | 5 | 150 |
|
| June 2026 | 6 | 160 |
|
| July 2026 | 6 | 170 |
|
| August 2026 | 5 | 146 |
|
| September 2026 | 5 | 143 |
|
| October 2025 | 3 | 65 |
|
| November 2025 | 4 | 113 |
|
| December 2025 | 3 | 99 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on SFO-LHR - 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 San Francisco: 130.
- Direct destinations observed from London: 173.
The airports on this route
London Heathrow Airport
London, United KingdomLHR / EGLL
International hub · 173 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 12,799 ft
54 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
About the route from San Francisco to London
The observed direct connection between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) 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 San Francisco from London by air?
- The great-circle distance between San Francisco International Airport and London Heathrow Airport is approximately 5,354 mi.
- How long is the flight from San Francisco to London?
- 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 San Francisco to London?
- Yes, a direct connection between SFO and LHR 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 San Francisco to London?
- On average around 4.5 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 1,495 observed flights. Mainly British Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between San Francisco and London?
- London is currently 8 hours ahead of San Francisco.
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.