Compare: Tokyo→Los Angeles (8,819 km) vs Tokyo→London (9,559 km). Tokyo → Los Angeles wins by 740 km (8%). Side-by-side with flight & drive times.
By SnapDistance Team
8,819 km
5,480 miles · Flight: ~11h 31min
✓ Shorter route
9,559 km
5,940 miles · Flight: ~12h 27min
Difference: 740 km (8%) · Flight time difference: ~56 min
Verdict
Tokyo → Los Angeles is the smarter pick if travel time and emissions matter most: it is 740 km (8%) shorter, saves about 56 min of flight time, and cuts roughly 189 kg of CO₂ per passenger. Choose Tokyo → London only if the destination itself is the reason for the trip.
Tokyo → Los Angeles is the shorter route at 8,819 km, which is 740 km (8%) shorter than Tokyo → London. You would save approximately 56 min in flight time by choosing the shorter route.
| Metric | Tokyo → Los Angeles | Tokyo → London |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 8,819 | 9,559 |
| Distance (miles) | 5,480 | 5,940 |
| Flight time | ~11h 31min | ~12h 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 | 56° (NE) | 336° (NNW) |
| Time-zone shift | -16h | -8h |
| CO₂ – flight (per pax) | ~2,249 kg | ~2,438 kg |
| CO₂ – driving (per car) | — | — |
| Fuel cost (est.) | — | — |
Flying from Tokyo to Los Angeles 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 Tokyo → London flight emits about 2,438 kg. Choosing the shorter route saves approximately 189 kg of CO₂ per traveler — equivalent to 9 typical tree-years of carbon sequestration.
The Tokyo to Los Angeles route covers 8,819 km (5,480 miles), crossing from Asia to North America. Tokyo (population: 13,960,000) is located in Kanto, Japan, while Los Angeles (population: 3,979,576) is in West Coast, United States.
The Tokyo to London route covers 9,559 km (5,940 miles), spanning from Asia to Europe. Tokyo (population: 13,960,000) is in Kanto, Japan, and London (population: 8,982,000) is in England, United Kingdom.
Flying from Tokyo to Los Angeles takes approximately 11h 31min, while Tokyo to London takes 12h 27min.
Since both routes depart from Tokyo, this comparison is especially useful for travelers deciding between Los Angeles and London as a destination.
The 740 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 Tokyo and Los Angeles — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport. There is no continuous road connection between Tokyo and London — the two cities sit on separate landmasses, so the journey requires air or sea transport.
Los Angeles (United States) has a population of 3,979,576 and is located in the West Coast region of North America. It's a significant city with good transport links and cultural offerings.
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 Los Angeles (United States) — a city of 3,979,576 in the West Coast region of North America. It is also the shorter option at 8,819 km, which translates to a 56 min flight-time saving and roughly 189 kg less CO₂ per passenger versus the alternative. This is a fly-only route in practice — overland travel is not realistic at 8,819 km. The initial bearing is 56° (NE), so a great-circle flight leaves Tokyo heading roughly NE.
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. Even though it is the longer route at 9,559 km, it remains the obvious pick when London is the actual destination, when departure schedules from Tokyo are more convenient, or when fares undercut the alternative. Overland travel is not practical for 9,559 km; flying is the realistic mode. Departing Tokyo, the great-circle bearing toward London is 336° (NNW).
Tokyo (35.68°, 139.65°) → Los Angeles (34.05°, -118.24°): Tokyo keeps Asia/Tokyo time and Los Angeles keeps America/Los_Angeles time — a gap of about 16 hours, with Los Angeles behind. 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. Tokyo (35.68°, 139.65°) → London (51.51°, -0.13°): Tokyo keeps Asia/Tokyo time and London keeps Europe/London time — a gap of about 8 hours, with London behind. 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.
Los Angeles is closer at 8,819 km, which is 740 km (8%) shorter.
8,819 km (5,480 miles). Flight: ~11h 31min.
9,559 km (5,940 miles). Flight: ~12h 27min.
Flying to Los Angeles is faster at ~11h 31min, saving about 56 min compared to London.
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.