Sydney to Los AngelesYSSY → KLAX
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (YSSY / SYD) in Sydney (Mascot), Australia to Los Angeles International Airport (KLAX / LAX) in Los Angeles, United States is 6,512 nautical miles — 12,060 kilometres, or 7,494 statute miles — on the great circle, on an initial bearing of 061°. A business jet at Mach 0.85 and FL410 takes about 13h 50m 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 6,512 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falcon 8X | Nadi (NFFN), Fiji | 1,711 + 4,802 nm | 0 nm |
| Falcon 7X | Nadi (NFFN), Fiji | 1,711 + 4,802 nm | 0 nm |
| Challenger 350 | more than one stop | ||
| A320neo | more than one stop | ||
| A320 | more than one stop | ||
| B737 MAX 8 | more than one stop | ||
| B737-800 | more than one stop | ||
| An-124 | more than one stop | ||
| Concorde | Kiritimati (PLCH), Kiribati | 3,614 + 2,905 nm | 6 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. YSSY to KLAX is quickest in April (13h 05m) and slowest in January (13h 20m); KLAX to YSSY is quickest in January (14h 30m) and slowest in April (14h 50m). The wind column is the average along-track component: plus is a tailwind.
| MONTH | YSSY → KLAX | WIND | KLAX → YSSY | WIND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13h 20m | +21 kt | 14h 30m | −23 kt |
| February | 13h 15m | +23 kt | 14h 35m | −25 kt |
| March | 13h 10m | +27 kt | 14h 45m | −29 kt |
| April | 13h 05m | +30 kt | 14h 50m | −33 kt |
| May | 13h 05m | +31 kt | 14h 50m | −34 kt |
| June | 13h 10m | +27 kt | 14h 45m | −31 kt |
| July | 13h 15m | +22 kt | 14h 35m | −26 kt |
| August | 13h 20m | +21 kt | 14h 35m | −25 kt |
| September | 13h 15m | +23 kt | 14h 40m | −27 kt |
| October | 13h 15m | +23 kt | 14h 35m | −26 kt |
| November | 13h 10m | +26 kt | 14h 40m | −28 kt |
| December | 13h 10m | +25 kt | 14h 40m | −27 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 36m from the nearest suitable airport, Pago Pago (NSTU), 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1.9°N 161.6°W | Pago Pago (NSTU) and Kailua-Kona (PHKO) | 2h 36m |
| 23.4°N 136.4°W | Kailua-Kona (PHKO) and San Francisco (KSFO) | 2h 36m |
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 Sydney (YSSY) to Los Angeles (KLAX)?
6,512 nautical miles. That is 12,060 kilometres or 7,494 statute miles, measured as a great circle between Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.
How long is the flight from Sydney to Los Angeles?
About 13h 50m 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 Sydney and Los Angeles?
In the average upper wind, Sydney to Los Angeles at Mach 0.85 runs from 13h 05m in April to 13h 20m in January, and the return from 14h 30m in January to 14h 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 Sydney (YSSY) to Los Angeles (KLAX)?
061° 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 Sydney to Los Angeles non-stop?
Of the types Overfly carries, G650ER, G550, Global 7500, A350-900, B777-300ER clear it on usable range — that is book range less a reserve allowance. Falcon 8X, Falcon 7X, 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