Flight time: Wellington to San Francisco

Route details

Distance breakdown: Wellington to San Francisco

The 10,847-km great-circle distance between Wellington (-41.33°N, 174.81°E) and San Francisco (37.62°N, 122.38°W) spans 78.9° of latitude and 297.2° of longitude, trending primarily west. In miles, this is 6,740 mi or 5857 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

On this 10,847-km long-haul route, aircraft spend the majority of the 12h 33m to 14h 04m journey at optimal cruise altitude of 35,000–42,000 feet, where modern wide-body jets achieve true airspeeds of 820–900 km/h (Mach 0.82–0.86). The initial climb and final descent represent a smaller fraction of total flight time compared to shorter routes. Aircraft like the Boeing 777, 787, or Airbus A350 typically operate routes of this distance, with step climbs during the flight to reach progressively more efficient altitudes as fuel burns off and the aircraft lightens.

Ground time and routing overhead

Our 30–50 minutes overhead allowance covers: taxi-out at WLG, takeoff and initial climb, descent and approach at SFO, and taxi-in to the gate. Taxi times at WLG 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. Oceanic tracks between Wellington and San Francisco follow organized route systems (like the North Atlantic Track system) that may add 5–10% to the theoretical great-circle distance. These tracks are assigned daily based on forecast winds.

Return flight: San Francisco → Wellington

The return flight from San Francisco to Wellington differs noticeably in duration due to upper-atmosphere wind patterns along this oceanic corridor. The jet stream — a high-altitude river of fast-moving air flowing generally from west to east — creates an asymmetry: the eastbound leg (San Francisco to Wellington if eastbound, otherwise Wellington to San Francisco) is typically 20–60 minutes shorter. Airlines adjust fuel loads and even routing to account for this, sometimes flying more southerly or northerly tracks on the headwind leg to minimize the impact. Over a year, the average time difference between the two directions on this specific route is estimated at 30–45 minutes.

Seasonal variation in flight times

Flight times between Wellington 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 WLG, which extend the overall gate-to-gate time.

Airport information

Wellington Airport (WLG) is a regional airport serving Wellington, New Zealand. Lower traffic volumes typically mean shorter taxi times and faster boarding, though flight frequency may be limited. 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 Wellington to other destinations

Flight time FAQ: Wellington to San Francisco