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Flight Time from San Francisco to Tokyo

Search San Francisco to Tokyo flightsLive fares on Trip.com for your dates
By Sophie1 min readPublished
Table of contents
Tokyo Tower
Photo: David Kernan · CC BY 4.0

Flight time

10h 31m

estimated nonstop

Distance

5,112 mi

Time difference

Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco.

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Estimated nonstop time from great-circle distance and typical airline block speeds. Actual times vary about ±30 min with winds, routing and aircraft - eastbound is usually faster than westbound. Times shown for direct flights; connections add layover time.

In Brief

How long is the flight from San Francisco to Tokyo?

The flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT) takes approximately 10h 31m nonstop, covering a great-circle distance of 5,112 mi (8,228 km). Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco. Actual times vary by about 30 minutes with winds, air-traffic routing and aircraft type, and connecting flights take longer once you add layover time.

Key takeaways

  • Flight time: about 10h 31m nonstop (SFO → NRT).
  • Distance: 5,112 mi / 8,228 km great-circle.
  • Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco.
  • Eastbound is usually 30-60 min faster than westbound on long routes.
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San Francisco to Tokyo flight: FAQ

Flight time, distance and time difference for this route.

The nonstop flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT) takes about 10h 31m, covering a great-circle distance of 5,112 mi (8,228 km). Actual times vary by roughly 30 minutes with winds, routing and aircraft; connecting flights take longer once you add the layover.

San Francisco and Tokyo are about 5,112 mi (8,228 km) apart as the crow flies - the great-circle distance airlines fly close to. Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco.

Roughly, but not exactly. The distance is identical, so the estimate is the same both ways, but in reality one direction is usually 30-60 minutes faster because of high-altitude winds - eastbound flights ride the jet stream while westbound flights fight a headwind.

Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of San Francisco. That's based on standard time-zone offsets and doesn't account for daylight saving, so it can shift by an hour around DST changeovers. Use the calculator above with your departure time to see your local arrival time.

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