A white and blue business jet climbing away with the landing gear still extended against a clear blue sky

EGGW to KSFO 4,637 nm NW 316 degrees true

Private JetCharter Londonto San Francisco

4,637 nautical miles direct. About 10h 03m nonstop in a ultra long range jet. Operators bid on this leg without knowing who is flying it.

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Great circle

4,637nm

8,588 km, 5,336 statute miles

Initial track

316°T NW

Departing EGGW toward KSFO

Nonstop block time

10h 03m

In a ultra long range jet, the smallest reference class that flies it nonstop

Clock change

-8h

San Francisco against London, year round

The leg

London to San Francisco

The great circle track from London to San Francisco runs 4,637 nautical miles on an initial heading of 316 degrees true. A ultra long range jet covers it nonstop in roughly 10h 03m, before winds.

Very few aircraft connect these two cities without stopping. The ones that do are the top of the market, and even then the answer moves with payload and the winds on the day. San Francisco runs 8 hours behind of London year round, which is worth building into the schedule at both ends.

The smallest aircraft that clears this leg nonstop with real margin is the Dassault Falcon 7X, a heavy jet. A further 1 aircraft can do it nonstop on a good day, and those are the quotes worth reading carefully. A marginal leg becomes a fuel stop the moment the winds turn, the cabin fills, or the departure field is hot and high. 33 of the aircraft we track cannot make it without stopping at all, which does not rule them out. A stop on a cheaper airframe sometimes still wins on total cost, and the bid comparison will show you whether it does.

Book range figures assume long range cruise, standard reserves and a stated payload. Load the cabin, add bags, put the departure field at elevation on a hot afternoon, and the real number comes down. We treat anything above roughly 80 percent of book range as a leg that needs the operator to confirm against the specific tail number rather than the brochure.

Orthographic projection, great circle track Static plot

Aircraft

What flies this leg, and how fast

Block time and nonstop capability across the classes for 4,637 nautical miles. Times are planning estimates in still air.

Aircraft comparison for London to San Francisco
Aircraft	Class	Seats	Block time	Book range	This leg
Cessna Citation M2 Gen2	Very Light Jet	6	12h 03m	1,550 nm	Fuel stop
Embraer Phenom 300E	Light Jet	8	10h 33m	2,010 nm	Fuel stop
Cessna Citation XLS+	Midsize Jet	9	11h 05m	2,100 nm	Fuel stop
Bombardier Challenger 350	Super Midsize Jet	9	10h 25m	3,200 nm	Fuel stop
Gulfstream G450	Heavy Jet	13	10h 17m	4,350 nm	Fuel stop
Gulfstream G650ER	Ultra Long Range Jet	14	10h 03m	7,500 nm	Nonstop

Airports

Which runway you actually use

Departing London. Most charter traffic uses London Luton (EGGW / LTN). The credible alternates are Farnborough (FAB), London Biggin Hill (BQH), London City (LCY) and Heathrow (LHR). Which one you leave from is worth deciding on ground time rather than on the map, because twenty minutes of extra driving often buys a cheaper ramp and a faster departure.

London City requires a 5.5 degree steep approach certification for both the aircraft and the crew. Farnborough and Biggin Hill both operate movement caps and defined hours.

Arriving San Francisco. Most charter traffic uses San Francisco International (KSFO / SFO). The credible alternates are San Carlos (SQL), Oakland International (OAK) and Hayward Executive (HWD). Pick the one closest to where you are actually going. The airport with the famous name is frequently the wrong answer.

Runway length, ramp space and operating hours at the arrival field decide the aircraft as often as range does. Have the operator confirm all three against the tail number they are offering.

Airport	ICAO	IATA	Metro	End	Role
London Luton	EGGW	LTN	London	Departure	Preferred
Farnborough	EGLF	FAB	London	Departure	Alternate
London Biggin Hill	EGKB	BQH	London	Departure	Alternate
London City	EGLC	LCY	London	Departure	Alternate
Heathrow	EGLL	LHR	London	Departure	Customs
San Francisco International	KSFO	SFO	San Francisco	Arrival	Preferred
San Carlos	KSQL	SQL	San Francisco	Arrival	Alternate
Oakland International	KOAK	OAK	San Francisco	Arrival	Alternate
Hayward Executive	KHWD	HWD	San Francisco	Arrival	Alternate

Cost

What moves the number

We do not publish a price for this route, and neither should anyone else. Here is what the number is actually made of.

Positioning. Where the aircraft sits when you call. If it is already on your departure ramp you pay for your legs only. If it has to fly in empty and fly home afterwards, someone pays for that, and it is you.
Daily minimum. Most operators bill a minimum number of flight hours per day the aircraft is away. A short leg with a three night stay can price higher than a long leg that returns the same day.
Crew duty. A crew has a legal duty limit. Cross enough time zones or depart late enough and the trip needs a second crew or an overnight, and both cost money.
Ramp and handling. Landing fees, ramp fees, overnight parking and the FBO handling charge vary enormously between fields in the same metro.
Peak days. Operators apply surcharges around the predictable weekends. Thanksgiving Sunday, the Super Bowl, Art Basel, the Fourth of July and the ski season change of week all price differently.
Fuel and stops. A technical stop costs fuel to climb back to altitude, a landing fee, handling, and forty five minutes to an hour of ground time.
De-icing. Winter departures from northern fields add de-icing, which is charged by volume of fluid and can be a serious number on a large aircraft.
International handling. Customs, immigration, overflight permits, landing permits and a local handling agent. On some routings the permits need days of lead time.

Our fee sits on top of the operator price as its own line, visible, so you can see both halves. Send the trip and the operators bid against each other on all of the above at once.

Timing

Season, weather and the clock

The great circle track reaches 65 degrees of latitude, which is further north than the map projection suggests. That routing brings North Atlantic track structure and oceanic clearance requirements into the flight plan.

The forward fuselage and cockpit of a business jet in silhouette on the ramp at dusk, with runway edge lights and a pink and blue horizon behind — LTN to SFO

Questions

LTN to SFO

A large cabin business jet with oval windows parked on the ramp in clear weather, photographed from ahead of the wing — Representative cabin and ramp

How long is a private jet flight from London to San Francisco?

The great circle distance is 4,637 nautical miles, which is about 8,588 km. A ultra long range jet covers it nonstop in roughly 10h 03m block to block. A heavy jet flies the distance in about 10h 17m, and a light jet in about 10h 33m if it can make it without stopping. These are planning estimates in still air and exclude winds and air traffic routing.

Can a light jet fly London to San Francisco nonstop?

No. This leg needs about 235 percent of a light jet's published range, so plan on a fuel stop or move up to a class with the legs for it. The smallest aircraft that does it nonstop with margin is the Dassault Falcon 7X.

Which airport should I use in San Francisco?

San Francisco International (KSFO) handles most charter traffic. The alternates are San Carlos (SQL), Oakland International (OAK) and Hayward Executive (HWD). Choose on ground time to your final address rather than on the name you recognise.

Do I clear customs on a private flight from London to San Francisco?

Yes. Crossing a border on a private aircraft still means customs and immigration at both ends, but it happens at the private terminal rather than in a terminal queue, and it is usually a matter of minutes. The operator files the passenger manifest in advance, so passport details are needed before departure rather than at the airport. Some routings also need landing or overflight permits with days of lead time, which is worth raising early.

What does a private jet from London to San Francisco cost?

We do not publish a figure, because a fixed number for this route would be invented. The dominant variable is where the aircraft is parked when you call, not the aircraft type. Positioning legs, daily minimums, crew duty, ramp fees, peak day surcharges and taxes all move the total. Send the trip through the quote form and certificated operators bid against each other on it, sealed, without knowing who you are.

Are empty legs available on this route?

Sometimes. An empty leg exists when an operator has to reposition an aircraft along this track anyway, so the timing is theirs and not yours. They appear and vanish with little notice and get cancelled when the paying trip behind them changes. Flag empty legs on the quote form and we will include any that fit your window, but do not build a fixed commitment around one.

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