Flying Tokyo to Los Angeles: Flight Time, Time Zones & Jet Lag
A nonstop flight from Tokyo (NRT) to Los Angeles (LAX) covers about 8,815 km (5,478 mi) and takes roughly 10h 28m in the air. Los Angeles runs 16 hours behind Tokyo (you arrive the previous calendar day). That sounds brutal, but because the route crosses the International Date Line the effective body-clock shift is only about 8 hours — more on that below. Here is what that means for your day.
- Flight time
- ~10h 28m
- Distance
- 8,815 km / 5,478 mi
- Time difference
- 16 hours behind (you arrive the previous calendar day)
- Body-clock shift
- ~8 hr
- Flight direction
- Eastbound
- Tokyo zone
- Asia/Tokyo
- Los Angeles zone
- America/Los_Angeles
Airlines flying Tokyo to Los Angeles
Carriers that fly (or codeshare) this route include Air India Limited, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines Domestic, and Singapore Airlines Cargo, among others. Schedules and operators change seasonally, so confirm current nonstop service when you book.
Jet lag: Tokyo to Los Angeles
On this route the jet lag is more taxing: your body clock has to advance about 8 hours (a phase-advance, the eastward direction), and going to bed earlier than your body wants is the hard kind of jet lag. Expect roughly 8 day(s) to feel normal. Your watch moves 16 hours, but the effective shift is only about 8 hours because the route crosses the International Date Line.
Scheduling calls: business-hours overlap
With a 16-hour gap, standard 9-to-5 working hours in Tokyo and Los Angeles barely overlap — expect to take calls early morning or late evening on one end.
Best time to visit Los Angeles
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean — warm, dry, sunny most of the year; a short, mild wet season Dec–Feb. The most comfortable window for a visit is generally year-round, best Mar–May.
Current local time in Los Angeles
Common questions
How long is the flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles?
The great-circle distance is about 8815 km (5478 mi), which works out to roughly 10h 28m of flight time on a nonstop service. Connecting itineraries take longer.
What is the time difference between Tokyo and Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 16 hours behind Tokyo — about 8 time zone(s). The exact offset can shift by an hour around daylight-saving changeovers; the live clocks above always show the current local times.
Which direction is the jet lag worse flying Tokyo to Los Angeles?
You travel eastbound on this route, so the jet lag is more taxing: your body clock has to advance about 8 hours (a phase-advance, the eastward direction), and going to bed earlier than your body wants is the hard kind of jet lag. Expect roughly 8 day(s) to feel normal. Your watch moves 16 hours, but the effective shift is only about 8 hours because the route crosses the International Date Line.