Flight Direction: San Francisco to Tokyo

Flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (HND/NRT) follow a Great Circle route heading northwest across the North Pacific.

Route Geometry

• Initial heading: ~315° (northwest)
• Great-circle distance: ~5,150 miles (8,290 km)
• Flight time: 10.5–11.5 hours westbound; 9–10 hours eastbound (tailwinds)

Typical Path (Westbound)

1. Depart SFO → over Pacific
2. Cross Aleutian Islands (US) / near Kamchatka Peninsula (Russia)
3. Pass Kuril Islands (Russia/Japan disputed)
4. Cross Hokkaido (northern Japan)
5. Descend into Tokyo (Haneda/HND or Narita/NRT)

Why Not "Straight West"?

On a flat map (Mercator), the route appears to curve north. On a globe, it's the shortest path. The Earth's curvature makes the northwest great-circle route ~600 miles shorter than a constant-latitude "rhumb line" due west.

Operational Factors

• Jet stream: Westbound fights headwinds; eastbound rides tailwinds (saves 1.5+ hrs)
• ETOPS: Twin-engine aircraft must stay within diversion range of suitable airports (Shemya, Cold Bay, Petropavlovsk, Kushiro)
• Russian airspace: Currently restricted for Western carriers (post-2022); routes shift south, adding 30-60 min
• Seasonal: Winter = stronger headwinds, more northerly route; Summer = more direct

Carriers & Frequency

• United, ANA, JAL, Delta, ZIPAIR — multiple daily nonstops
• SFO-HND: Preferred (downtown Tokyo); slot-restricted
• SFO-NRT: More slots, easier access