A flight from London (LHR) to Tokyo (HND) typically takes about 13 h 40 min. The return, Tokyo to London, takes about 14 h 40 min. The distance is 9,592 km (5,960 miles) along the great-circle path.
Airspace: since 2022, UK and EU airlines have not been able to fly over Russia, so flights between Europe and Japan take a longer route, over the Arctic or Central Asia, that adds roughly two hours to the direct time. Typical scheduled times for this route in autumn 2026 are about 13 h 15 min to 14 h. Reviewed October 2026; check your airline for the exact schedule.
The jet stream, a fast river of air at cruising altitude, blows mostly from west to east. Flying London to Tokyo you ride it, about 13 h 40 min; flying Tokyo to London you fly into it, about 14 h 40 min. It is the same distance either way, which is why the westbound leg is usually the longer one.
Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London (standard time; the gap shifts by an hour for part of the year when only one of them is on daylight saving). Leave London at 10:00 and you land at about 08:40 Tokyo time, the next day.
Tokyo is 9 hours ahead, so your body clock has to move earlier. That is the harder direction: with no plan, expect about 9 days to feel properly adjusted. With a gap this large your body may adapt in either direction, so simply follow local time and light as soon as you land.
For two or three days before, go to bed and get up an hour earlier each day, and get bright light soon after waking. Even a partial shift helps.
Set your watch to Tokyo time as you board. On a typical morning departure you land around 08:40 Tokyo time, in daylight: sleep only if it is night in Tokyo, drink water, go easy on alcohol, and then stay up until local bedtime.
Get outdoor light in the morning and avoid bright light in the evening for the first few days. Keep any nap under 30 minutes, and have caffeine only before noon.
General guidance, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, ask your doctor before changing your sleep routine.
Range decides what can do this route without a stop. At 9,592 km it is within reach of Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 777-300ER.
| Aircraft | Approx. range | Estimated LHR–HND |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320neo | 6,300 km | needs a stop |
| Boeing 737-800 | 5,400 km | needs a stop |
| Airbus A321LR | 7,400 km | needs a stop |
| Boeing 787-9 | 14,100 km | 12 h 45 min |
| Airbus A350-900 | 15,000 km | 12 h 45 min |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 13,650 km | 12 h 45 min |
Distance is the great-circle distance between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda. Time is that distance at about 830 km/h cruise, adjusted for the prevailing jet stream, plus roughly 35 minutes for taxi, climb and descent. It is a typical scheduled-time estimate, not a timetable: airlines publish their own, and daily winds, routing and air traffic can move a long flight by half an hour or more. Reviewed October 2026.
About 13 h 40 min from LHR to HND. The return flight is about 14 h 40 min.
From London to Tokyo it is typically about 13 h 40 min, covering 9,592 km.
9,592 km (5,960 miles, 5,179 nautical miles) in a straight line.
The jet stream blows west to east, so the eastbound flight is shorter than the westbound one. The distance is identical.
Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London in standard time.
At 9,592 km it is within the range of long-haul airliners such as the Boeing 777-300ER, so a non-stop flight is possible; check airline schedules for what is actually operated.
Typically about 9 days with no plan, and less if you shift your sleep and light exposure to local time.
Shift your sleep an hour earlier for two or three days before you fly, switch to destination time on boarding, sleep on the flight when it is night there, and get outdoor light in the morning after you land.
UK and EU airlines cannot overfly Russia, so they fly a longer route that adds roughly two hours.
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