- Flight
- about 10 to 10.5 hours eastbound
- Departs
- SFO
- Lands at
- Heathrow
- Time difference
- London is 8 hours ahead
- Currency
- Pounds sterling, in cash
San Francisco to London is about ten hours in the air and eight hours of difference, and it is the trip where the flight and the clock change both work against you.
Plan from the second evening
An evening departure lands in London in the middle of the morning, after a night that was mostly spent in a seat. Your body thinks it is two or three in the morning. Sleep when the room is ready, and leave the first night alone.
A tight diary
Much of the traffic is business, and business trips from the Bay Area tend to be long on meetings and short on slack. If you want something arranged, do it at home in an unhurried hour, not between sessions in London.
Fog at the airport
Low cloud at SFO can slow departures, particularly on summer mornings. Build some slack into the day you fly, and tell anyone you are meeting in London if you are running late.
The flight home
Going home takes longer than coming over. Heading west you are flying into the jet stream rather than along it, and on this route that is worth roughly an extra hour in the air. London back to San Francisco is scheduled accordingly, so read the arrival time rather than assuming it mirrors the flight out. It matters most if you have a connection waiting at the other end.
Before you book
Visitors from the United States who do not need a visa still need an electronic travel authorisation, or ETA, before they fly. It is a short online application, and it should be made through the official GOV.UK ETA service, not a site that charges extra to do it for you. The rules change, so check them before you book.
Worth reading first
The visitor guide covers the etiquette, and the booking guide covers making contact.
When to get in touch
London runs 8 hours ahead of you. Messages sent between about 3am and 3pm your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come.
Areas near where you land at Heathrow
The big figure is the straight line distance from the airport in miles, and nothing about travel time, which in London is always longer. Each page has the stations, the route from Heathrow and the measured rates.
Also close to where you land, with no profiles of their own but a guide to getting there and how outcall works: Feltham, Hayes, Hounslow, Southall.
Flying from a specific airport? The route pages give the flight time, the landing and the first day: SFO to London.
Other cities in US Mountain and West Coast
See every departure city
Cities with a similar flight time
Common questions
How long is the flight from San Francisco to London?
The flight from SFO takes about 10 to 10.5 hours eastbound. Add the connection time if your fare has a stop, and allow for getting to and through the airport at both ends.
What is the time difference between San Francisco and London?
London is 8 hours ahead. The United Kingdom and most other countries change their clocks on different dates, so for a few weeks each spring and autumn the gap shifts by an hour.
What time should I message from San Francisco?
London runs 8 hours ahead of you. Messages sent between about 3am and 3pm your time land during London working hours, which is when replies actually come.
Which London airport do flights from San Francisco land at?
Most land at Heathrow, about fifteen miles west of central London and on the Piccadilly line and the Elizabeth line. Some services use Gatwick, to the south, so check the airport on your ticket before you book a hotel.
Do I need an ETA to fly from San Francisco to London?
Most visitors from the United States who do not need a visa need an electronic travel authorisation, or ETA, before they fly. Apply through the official GOV.UK service only, and check the current rules before you book, because they change.
Do I need to arrange things before I fly?
It helps. Good diaries fill days ahead, and arranging from home means you are doing it awake and unhurried instead of jet lagged in an unfamiliar city.
Is escorting legal in the UK?
Yes, in England and Wales it is legal for two consenting adults to exchange sex or company for money. What is illegal is the activity around it, such as soliciting in the street, running a brothel or controlling someone else's work. The Crown Prosecution Service sets this out in its published guidance.
Is prostitution legal in the UK?
Selling and buying sex between consenting adults is not itself a crime in England, Wales or Scotland. Northern Ireland is the exception, where paying for sex has been an offence since 1 June 2015. Public soliciting, brothel keeping and exploiting another person's work are offences in different forms across the UK.