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SFO to HNL Turbulence Forecast

Is the San Francisco to Honolulu flight turbulent? Live forecast & historical patterns.

Live forecast
SFO
→
HNL
San Francisco · Honolulu · 5h 15m
36
Turb Score
5h 15m
Duration
2,397 nm
Distance
36,000 ft
Cruise Alt.
Light
Typical
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Typical turbulence along the route

Historical average pattern for SFO–HNL

Smooth Light Moderate
0h1h2h3h4h5h6h5h 15m
Smooth
Light
Moderate
Heavy

About the SFO–HNL route

The San Francisco to Honolulu route spans the Pacific Ocean — one of the longest commercial flight paths in the world at 2,758 miles. The Pacific jet stream creates moderate turbulence, typically around 3–7 hours into the flight. The sheer length of the route means passengers experience varying conditions: calm stretches punctuated by bumpy patches.

The route is served by Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines on Boeing 737 · Airbus A330 · Boeing 767 aircraft, with flights typically cruising at 36,000 feet over a distance of 2,758 miles (2,397 nautical miles).

💡 Tip: Long flight — turbulence varies throughout. Wing seats significantly reduce motion.

San Francisco to Honolulu Flight Time

How long is the flight from SFO to HNL?

5h 15m
Flight Time
2,758 mi
Distance
36,000 ft
Cruising Altitude
Boeing 737
Aircraft

The San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL) flight takes approximately 5h 15m, covering 2,758 miles (2,397 nautical miles) at 36,000 feet. The route is operated by Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines. Return flights (HNL to SFO) take a similar time, though westbound transatlantic and transpacific routes are typically 30–60 minutes longer due to headwinds.

Turbulence levels on SFO–HNL

What to expect at each phase of the flight

SmoothDeparture & arrival — climb and descent phases are generally calm
LightMinor bumps — drink stays in your cup, walking feels slightly unsteady
ModerateNoticeable bumps — stay seated with seatbelt on, service may pause
HeavyStrong jolts — unsecured items move, crew seated. Rare but possible

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Best time to fly SFO–HNL

Turbulence by month

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smooth
Light
Moderate
Rough

Best seat on SFO–HNL

Boeing 767

Front
Rows 1–17
Light
✓ Wing
Rows 18–28
Smoothest
Rear
Rows 29+
Rougher
Wing seats are over the center of gravity — least affected by turbulence.

What you'll see in the app

Full forecast, live map & seat recommendations

SFO to HNL turbulence forecast app
Flight turbulence tracker
Real-time turbulence map

Similar routes

Other popular routes with turbulence data

LAX → HNL
Los Angeles → Honolulu
Light
SFO → NRT
San Francisco → Tokyo
Moderate
SFO → ICN
San Francisco → Seoul
Moderate
LAX → SFO
Los Angeles → San Francisco
Light
SFO → LHR
San Francisco → London
Light
LAX → HNL
Los Angeles → Honolulu
Light
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Passenger Reports

Kids barely noticed the turbulence — just some mild bumps somewhere over the ocean. Seatbelt sign was on and off a couple times. Nothing dramatic.
Parent traveling with kids · April
Some light chop crossing the dateline — seatbelt sign came on for maybe 20 minutes but nothing to worry about. Typical for this route in April.
Regular traveler · April
Flew San Francisco–Honolulu in January, had some light turbulence in the middle portion of the flight. Brief and nothing concerning. This route is usually fine.
Business traveler · January
All SFO routes→ All HNL routes→

Frequently asked questions

Is the San Francisco to Honolulu flight turbulent?
The SFO–HNL route typically experiences light turbulence. Light turbulence may occur — mostly smooth with occasional bumps. The turbulence score for this route is 36/100.
When is turbulence worst on SFO to HNL?
Long flight — turbulence varies throughout. Wing seats significantly reduce motion. Check the turbulence chart above for the typical pattern along this specific route.
Which seat is smoothest on SFO to HNL?
Wing seats are always the smoothest. On a Boeing 767 (the most common aircraft on this route), that's rows 18–28. Avoid the very rear of the aircraft — it amplifies turbulence motion.
How long is the flight from SFO to HNL?
The SFO to HNL flight takes approximately 5h 15m, covering 2,758 miles (2,397 nautical miles).
Which airlines fly SFO to HNL?
The main airlines operating this route are Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, flying Boeing 737 · Airbus A330 · Boeing 767 aircraft.

Data Sources

Scores represent typical conditions. Actual turbulence varies daily. For real-time forecasts, use the Turbulence Forecast app. · About our data