Air Miles vs. Distance: London to San Francisco

"Air miles" in the loyalty-program sense are not a measure of distance. They are reward points earned based on fare class, airline, status, and sometimes distance flown—but not a fixed conversion.

The great-circle distance between London (LHR) and San Francisco (SFO) is ~5,350 miles (8,610 km). A typical nonstop flight earns ~5,000–11,000 award miles depending on the program (e.g., United MileagePlus, British Airways Executive Club) and ticket type.

For distance, use nautical miles (4,650 NM) or kilometers. For award miles, check your frequent-flyer program's earning rules.