Flights London → San Francisco
LHR → SFO
How long is the flight from London to San Francisco?
The flight from London (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) takes about 11h 11m. This is an estimate based on the distance between the two airports: the real time depends on the aircraft, wind and any stops.
Route overview
The flight route from London to San Francisco is operated using a mix of Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 777 aircraft, catering to the high volume of passengers traveling between these two major cities. The destination airport in San Francisco sees over 50 million passengers annually, underscoring its significance as a key international hub.
The London (LHR) → San Francisco (SFO) route is operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Iberia Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo, United Airlines. FlightGuard's average computed risk is 11/100 (low), updated in real time from weather, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel and flight history. At San Francisco the average ATFM delay is 5.5 minutes (main cause: atfm). Departing from London the average ATFM delay is 1.8 minutes.
Heading to San Francisco: what to expect in this direction
Flying from London (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) heads north-west for about 8,616 km, a flight time of roughly 11h 11m.
Air-traffic congestion: departing London the average ATFM delay is 1.8 min (atfm); arriving into San Francisco it is 5.5 min (atfm).
Route facts
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Airline punctuality on this route
| Airline | On-time | Average delay | Cancellations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iberia Airlines (IB) | 87% | 20 min | 1.2% |
| Delta Air Lines (DL) | 85% | 1 min | 0.8% |
| United Airlines (UA) | 83% | 5 min | 1.3% |
| American Airlines (AA) | 79% | 6 min | 1.1% |
| Lufthansa Cargo (LH) | 74% | 21 min | 0.0% |
| British Airways (BA) | 66% | 31 min | 1.3% |
Airlines operating LHR-SFO
Airports
Frequently asked questions about LHR-SFO
The flight from London (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) takes about 11h 11m. This is an estimate based on the distance between the two airports: the real time depends on the aircraft, wind and any stops.
Route-specific punctuality data isn't available yet. Check your flight on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis.
The cancellation rate varies by airline and season. Check your flight risk for an up-to-date estimate.
The route is operated by 6 airlines: American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Iberia Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo, United Airlines.
Enter your flight number on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis based on 9 factors: weather at San Francisco, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel, airline punctuality and recent trends.
The London-San Francisco route is about 8,616 km: for a cancellation (with less than 14 days' notice), a delay over 3 hours, or denied boarding, UK261 compensation is £520, barring extraordinary circumstances.
