Flight time: Honolulu to San Francisco

Route details

Distance breakdown: Honolulu to San Francisco

The 3,857-km great-circle distance between Honolulu (21.32°N, 157.92°W) and San Francisco (37.62°N, 122.38°W) spans 16.3° of latitude and 35.5° of longitude, trending primarily east. In miles, this is 2,397 mi or 2083 nautical miles. The great-circle path — the shortest distance over Earth's curved surface — is calculated using the Haversine formula from the two airports' precise coordinates.

Cruise speed and flight phases

At 3,857 km, this medium-haul route falls in the operational sweet spot where aircraft reach cruise altitude for a meaningful portion of the flight. Effective cruise speeds of 780–850 km/h are typical, with narrow-body aircraft (A320neo, 737 MAX) handling the lower end and wide-body aircraft achieving speeds at the upper end. The 5h 02m to 5h 47m estimate accounts for approximately 20 minutes of combined climb and descent, with the remainder at efficient cruise altitude.

Ground time and routing overhead

Our 30–50 minutes overhead allowance covers: taxi-out at HNL, takeoff and initial climb, descent and approach at SFO, and taxi-in to the gate. Taxi times at HNL are typically 5–15 minutes depending on traffic. At SFO, arrival taxi and gate assignment can add 10–20 minutes, especially during busy arrival banks. Continental air traffic corridors between Honolulu and San Francisco may add 3–8% beyond the great-circle distance. Standard instrument departures and arrivals at both airports use predefined routing that adds distance but ensures safe separation.

Return flight: San Francisco → Honolulu

The return flight from San Francisco to Honolulu is generally similar in duration to the outbound — typically within 10–20 minutes. Continental routes like this one are less affected by the jet stream asymmetry that makes oceanic east-west routes so uneven. The main variables affecting any difference are: prevailing winds at these latitudes (modest effect), different standard instrument departures/arrivals at each airport (minor effect), and air traffic congestion patterns that vary by time of day and direction.

Seasonal variation in flight times

Flight times between Honolulu and San Francisco vary modestly by season — typically 10–20 minutes. Upper-level wind patterns shift with the seasons: winter generally brings stronger westerly winds at these latitudes, while summer patterns are more variable. Thunderstorm activity along the route corridor peaks in summer months, occasionally causing routing diversions that add distance. Winter operations may include de-icing delays at HNL, which extend the overall gate-to-gate time.

Airport information

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) serves Honolulu, United States as a significant international airport. Flight frequency is good on major routes, with moderate taxi times. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a major international hub in San Francisco, United States. As a tier-1 airport, it handles high traffic volumes, which means longer average taxi times but also higher flight frequency and competition that can benefit travelers on pricing.

Flight times from Honolulu to other destinations

Flight time FAQ: Honolulu to San Francisco