Geneva to London
1h 18mgate to gate
The flight from Geneva International Airport (GVA) to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) covers 715 km (444 miles) and takes approximately 1h 18m gate to gate for a typical jet.
The route heads north-west on an initial great-circle bearing of 322°, passing near 48.7° N, 3.1° E at its midpoint.
Bearing 322° north-west Midpoint 48.7° N, 3.1° E Model 805 km/h + 25 min
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
How this is worked out
- Take both airports' published coordinates from OurAirports — nothing here is scraped from another flight site.
- Great-circle distance by haversine on a mean earth radius of 6,371.0088 km: 715 km.
- Airborne time = that distance ÷ 805 km/h, a representative jet cruise speed: 53m.
- Add a flat 25 minutes for pushback, taxi, climb, descent and taxi-in — the reason a 400 km hop is never half an hour: 1h 18m gate to gate.
- Winds, aircraft type and airline schedule padding are not modelled. The cruise-speed table shows how much that assumption is worth.
715 km / 805 km/h = 53m airborne
+ 25 min ground = 1h 18m gate to gate
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The same route, plotted on a world grid
The strip above gives the route its length and its shape. This gives it a position: latitude and longitude only, no coastlines, because a hand-drawn coastline would be decoration pretending to be data. On a flat grid the shortest path looks bent; on a globe it is straight.
Flight time at different cruise speeds
Aircraft type, winds and routing all move the real number. This is the same distance flown at different speeds, plus the 25-minute ground and climb allowance.
| Typical of | Cruise speed | Airborne | Gate to gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turboprop / regional | 550 km/h | 1h 18m | 1h 43m |
| Narrowbody jet (A320, 737) | 780 km/h | 55m | 1h 20m |
| Widebody jet (777, 787, A350) | 900 km/h | 48m | 1h 13m |
| Private jet (Gulfstream) | 850 km/h | 50m | 1h 16m |
Headwinds on an eastbound long-haul routinely add 30–60 minutes; the same route westbound can be quicker. Airlines publish schedules with padding built in.
SOURCE·OurAirports + great-circle computation·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Both airports
| GVA | LGW | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Geneva International Airport | London Gatwick Airport |
| City | Geneva | London |
| Country | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
| ICAO | LSGG | EGKK |
| Coordinates | 46.2381, 6.109 | 51.1487, -0.1857 |
| Elevation | 1,411 ft | 202 ft |
Every figure on this plate is geometry. The shape of the earth is knowable; the airline's schedule is not.
Questions this plate answers
How long is the flight from Geneva to London?
A non-stop flight from Geneva (GVA) to London (LGW) takes about 1h 18m. The great-circle distance is 715 km (444 miles, 386 nautical miles), flying north-west on an initial bearing of 322°.
How far is Geneva from London?
715 kilometres in a straight line over the earth's surface — 444 miles or 386 nautical miles. Actual flown distance is usually 2–5% longer because aircraft follow airways, avoid weather and route around restricted airspace.
Is there a non-stop flight between GVA and LGW?
This page calculates the direct-line time and distance; it does not track airline schedules. At 715 km the route is comfortably within range of a non-stop service if an airline chooses to fly it. Check an airline or booking site for what is actually scheduled.
Airport coordinates from OurAirports (public domain). Distance is a great-circle calculation; flight time uses the model described on the method page. Flight times are great-circle estimates for planning only — always check the airline's published schedule.
