Compare: Los Angeles→Tokyo (8,819 km) vs Los Angeles→London (8,756 km). Los Angeles → London wins by 63 km (1%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
8,819 km
5,480 miles · Flight: ~11h 31min
8,756 km
5,441 miles · Flight: ~11h 27min
✓ Shorter route
Difference: 63 km (1%) · Flight time difference: ~4 min
Verdict
Los Angeles → London is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 63 km (1%) shorter, saves about 4 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 16 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose Los Angeles → Tokyo only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
Los Angeles → London is the shorter route at 8,756 km, which is 63 km (1%) shorter than Los Angeles → Tokyo. You would save approximately 4 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | Los Angeles → Tokyo | Los Angeles → London |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 8,819 | 8,756 |
| Distance (miles) | 5,480 | 5,441 |
| Flight time | ~11h 31min | ~11h 27min |
| Driving time | No road estimate | No road estimate |
| Road distance (rough estimate) | Not published | Not published |
| Continuous road link? | No | No |
| Cross-continental | Yes | Yes |
| Initial bearing | 306° (NW) | 34° (NE) |
| Time-zone shift | +16h | +8h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~2,249 kg | ~2,233 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | — |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | — |
Flying from Los Angeles to Tokyo produces roughly 2,249 kg of CO₂ per passenger, based on the ICAO/EEA short-haul emission factor of ~0.255 kg per passenger-km. The Los Angeles → London flight emits about 2,233 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 16 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 1 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The Los Angeles to Tokyo route covers 8,819 km (5,480 miles), crossing from North America to Asia. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is located in West Coast, United States, while Tokyo (population: 13,960,000) is in Kanto, Japan.
The Los Angeles to London route covers 8,756 km (5,441 miles), spanning from North America to Europe. Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is in West Coast, United States, and London (population: 8,982,000) is in England, United Kingdom.
Flying from Los Angeles to Tokyo takes approximately 11h 31min, while Los Angeles to London takes 11h 27min.
Since both routes depart from Los Angeles, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Tokyo and London as a destination.
The 63 km difference between these routes is relatively modest, so other factors like ticket prices and schedules may matter more.
Neither route has a road figure we can defend. There is no continuous road connection between Los Angeles and Tokyo — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport. There is no continuous road connection between Los Angeles and London — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport.
Tokyo (Japan) has a population of 13,960,000 and is located in the Kanto region of Asia. As a major metropolis, it offers extensive international connections and diverse attractions.
London (United Kingdom) has a population of 8,982,000 and is situated in England, Europe. This major global city has multiple airports and world-class infrastructure.
Choose this route if your priority is reaching Tokyo (Japan) — a city of 13,960,000 in the Kanto region of Asia. Despite being the longer of the two at 8,819 km, it makes sense when Tokyo itself is the destination, the schedule fits better, or ticket prices are noticeably lower. This is a fly-only route in practice — overland travel is not realistic at 8,819 km. The initial bearing is 306° (NW), so a great-circle flight leaves Los Angeles heading roughly NW.
This route is the right call if you are heading to London (United Kingdom) — a city of 8,982,000 in the England region of Europe. It is also the shorter of the two at 8,756 km, saving about 4 min of flying and around 16 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Overland travel is not practical for 8,756 km; flying is the realistic mode. Departing Los Angeles, the great-circle bearing toward London is 34° (NE).
Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) → Tokyo (35.68°, 139.65°): Los Angeles keeps America/Los_Angeles time and Tokyo keeps Asia/Tokyo time — a gap of about 16 hours, with Tokyo ahead. The exact gap moves when either zone switches to or from daylight saving, so use the live figure in the calculator for your travel dates. Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°) → London (51.51°, -0.13°): Los Angeles keeps America/Los_Angeles time and London keeps Europe/London time — a gap of about 8 hours, with London ahead. The exact gap moves when either zone switches to or from daylight saving, so use the live figure in the calculator for your travel dates. Both gaps come from the cities' real IANA zones and move with daylight saving. Shifts of 5 hours or more typically produce noticeable jet lag — plan one recovery day per three time zones crossed.
London is closer at 8,756 km, which is 63 km (1%) shorter.
8,819 km (5,480 miles). Flight: ~11h 31min.
8,756 km (5,441 miles). Flight: ~11h 27min.
Flying to London is faster at ~11h 27min, saving about 4 min compared to Tokyo.
All distances on SnapDistance are calculated using the Haversine formula, which determines the great-circle distance between two points on Earth's surface. This gives the shortest possible distance over the globe, which is the measurement used for aviation and navigation. Actual travel distances by road or rail are typically 20-40% longer due to terrain, borders, and infrastructure routing. Flight times assume 800 km/h cruising speed with 30 minutes for takeoff and landing. Driving estimates use 80 km/h average speed with a 30% road distance factor.