Istanbul to San Francisco
13h 48m The flight from İstanbul Airport (IST) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) covers 10,764 km (6,689 miles) and takes approximately 13h 48m gate to gate for a typical jet.
The route heads north-west on an initial great-circle bearing of 337°, passing near 73.0° N, 52.6° W at its midpoint.
The route
The great-circle path — the shortest line between the two airports across the curve of the earth. On a flat map it 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 | 19h 34m | 19h 59m |
| Narrowbody jet (A320, 737) | 780 km/h | 13h 48m | 14h 13m |
| Widebody jet (777, 787, A350) | 900 km/h | 11h 58m | 12h 23m |
| Private jet (Gulfstream) | 850 km/h | 12h 40m | 13h 05m |
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.
Both airports
| IST | SFO | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | İstanbul Airport | San Francisco International Airport |
| City | Istanbul | San Francisco |
| Country | Turkey | United States |
| ICAO | LTFM | KSFO |
| Coordinates | 41.2749, 28.7321 | 37.6198, -122.3748 |
| Elevation | 325 ft | 13 ft |
Questions
How long is the flight from Istanbul to San Francisco?
A non-stop flight from Istanbul (IST) to San Francisco (SFO) takes about 13h 48m. The great-circle distance is 10,764 km (6,689 miles, 5,812 nautical miles), flying north-west on an initial bearing of 337°.
How far is Istanbul from San Francisco?
10,764 kilometres in a straight line over the earth's surface — 6,689 miles or 5,812 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 IST and SFO?
This page calculates the direct-line time and distance; it does not track airline schedules. At 10,764 km the route is within reach of long-range widebodies, though not every city pair is served non-stop. Check an airline or booking site for what is actually scheduled.
What should I expect on a 13h 48m flight?
Anything past six hours is a long-haul flight: expect at least one meal service, a significant time-zone shift, and enough sitting that circulation and hydration start to matter. Cabin altitude, dry air and disrupted sleep do more damage to a training routine than the flight itself.
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.