London to JohannesburgEGLL → FAOR
London Heathrow Airport (EGLL / LHR) in London, United Kingdom to O.R. Tambo International Airport (FAOR / JNB) in Johannesburg, South Africa is 4,900 nautical miles — 9,075 kilometres, or 5,639 statute miles — on the great circle, on an initial bearing of 154°. A business jet at Mach 0.85 and FL410 takes about 10h 35m block time in still air.
Published by Overfly · Airport data: OurAirports, · Last updated
Can the aeroplane make it?
Range here is usable range — book range at long-range cruise, less a reserve allowance. It is the figure that decides whether the leg closes, and it is the question most mappers do not answer.
Where the others would stop
For each type that cannot fly the 4,900 nm non-stop, the airport on or near the great circle that splits it into two legs that both clear, for the least extra distance. Types that would need more than one stop are marked.
| TYPE | BEST SINGLE STOP | LEGS | EXTRA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger 350 | Bangui (FEFF), Central African Republic | 2,982 + 1,919 nm | 0 nm |
| A320neo | Bangui (FEFF), Central African Republic | 2,982 + 1,919 nm | 0 nm |
| A320 | Bangui (FEFF), Central African Republic | 2,982 + 1,919 nm | 0 nm |
| B737 MAX 8 | Bangui (FEFF), Central African Republic | 2,982 + 1,919 nm | 0 nm |
| B737-800 | N'Djamena (FTTJ), Chad | 2,479 + 2,424 nm | 3 nm |
| An-124 | N'Djamena (FTTJ), Chad | 2,479 + 2,424 nm | 3 nm |
| Concorde | Bangui (FEFF), Central African Republic | 2,982 + 1,919 nm | 0 nm |
| King Air 200 | more than one stop | ||
| ATR 72 | more than one stop | ||
| Dash 8 Q400 | more than one stop | ||
Candidates are airports with a runway of 6,000 ft or more within 400 nm of the great circle, neither leg shorter than 15% of the whole, in still air. More in tech stops: where long flights stop and why.
Wind, month by month
The same business jet at Mach 0.85 and FL410, in each month’s average upper wind. EGLL to FAOR is quickest in May (10h 20m) and slowest in January (10h 30m); FAOR to EGLL is quickest in January (10h 40m) and slowest in April (10h 50m). The wind column is the average along-track component: plus is a tailwind.
| MONTH | EGLL → FAOR | WIND | FAOR → EGLL | WIND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10h 30m | +2 kt | 10h 40m | −6 kt |
| February | 10h 30m | +3 kt | 10h 40m | −7 kt |
| March | 10h 30m | +4 kt | 10h 45m | −8 kt |
| April | 10h 25m | +8 kt | 10h 50m | −12 kt |
| May | 10h 20m | +11 kt | 10h 50m | −13 kt |
| June | 10h 25m | +7 kt | 10h 45m | −8 kt |
| July | 10h 30m | +3 kt | 10h 40m | −5 kt |
| August | 10h 30m | +3 kt | 10h 40m | −4 kt |
| September | 10h 25m | +5 kt | 10h 40m | −7 kt |
| October | 10h 25m | +6 kt | 10h 45m | −8 kt |
| November | 10h 25m | +5 kt | 10h 40m | −7 kt |
| December | 10h 30m | +4 kt | 10h 45m | −8 kt |
Monthly means for 1991–2020 from NOAA’s NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis, at the pressure level nearest the cruise (about FL387), along the great circle. An average is smoother than any one day’s jet stream, so a given flight can see much more or much less; airlines also move the track to use the wind, which this does not. More in how wind changes block time.
How far from an airport?
The worst point on the great circle is 2h 28m from the nearest suitable airport, Sirt (HLGD), at the one-engine diversion speed Overfly uses (430 kt in still air). A twin flying this track needs ETOPS 180 approval or more: ETOPS 180 allows up to 180 minutes from an alternate.
| EQUAL-TIME POINT | BETWEEN | TO EACH |
|---|---|---|
| 13.4°N 16.4°E | Sirt (HLGD) and Brazzaville (FCBB) | 2h 28m |
| 1.9°N 19.7°E | Brazzaville (FCBB) and Kinshasa (FZAA) | 1h 04m |
A suitable airport here is one OurAirports classes as large with a runway of 8,000 ft or more. An operator’s real alternates also depend on weather, fire cover and approval, and its diversion speed on the type. More in equal-time points and ETOPS, explained.
The two fields
Questions people ask about this route
How far is it from London (EGLL) to Johannesburg (FAOR)?
4,900 nautical miles. That is 9,075 kilometres or 5,639 statute miles, measured as a great circle between London Heathrow Airport and O.R. Tambo International Airport.
How long is the flight from London to Johannesburg?
About 10h 35m block time for a business jet cruising at Mach 0.85 at FL410 in still air, including 30 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Wind moves that figure in either direction — eastbound across the North Atlantic or the Pacific it can be an hour or more. This page is deliberately still-air so the figure is stable and citable; to apply the month's average upper winds from NOAA, open the route in the mapper and switch on seasonal winds.
How much does wind change the flight time between London and Johannesburg?
In the average upper wind, London to Johannesburg at Mach 0.85 runs from 10h 20m in May to 10h 30m in January, and the return from 10h 40m in January to 10h 50m in April. Those are 1991–2020 monthly means from NOAA's reanalysis; on a given day the jet stream can make the difference larger or smaller.
What is the initial bearing from London (EGLL) to Johannesburg (FAOR)?
154° true at the departure point. A great circle changes heading continuously, so this is the initial bearing, not a constant one.
Which aircraft can fly London to Johannesburg non-stop?
Of the types Overfly carries, G650ER, G550, Global 7500, Falcon 8X, Falcon 7X, A350-900, B777-300ER clear it on usable range — that is book range less a reserve allowance. Challenger 350, A320neo, A320, B737 MAX 8, B737-800, An-124, Concorde, King Air 200, ATR 72, Dash 8 Q400 would need a tech stop.
For reference and planning interest. Not for operational flight planning. Distances are great circle on a sphere from WGS-84 coordinates; block times assume still air. © 2026 Overfly.Flights