Melbourne to San Francisco (MEL–SFO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

MEL Airport Page →
7,863 mi airlines 8/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 3 flights Verified 1h ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
UA61
UA United
789
12:00 PM
AEDT T2
8:25 AM
PDT
14h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3909
UA United
1:39 PM
AEDT
10:11 AM
PDT
14h 32m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA60
UA United
789
11:10 PM
PDT TI
8:45 AM+2
AEDT
15h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Melbourne to San Francisco
1 carrier, 8 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 8 Flights/wk 7,863 mi 14h 25m nonstop -18h behind 23 1-stop hubs

MEL–SFO is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. United Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 7,863 miles in approximately 14h 25m. Beyond nonstop, 23 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop MEL–SFO service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 8 789 14h25-14h32 Star Alliance
Aircraft on this route
789 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (8 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, MEL to SFO direction.
Mon
1
flight
Tue
1
flight
Wed
1
flight
Thu
1
flight
Fri
2
flights
Sat
1
flight
Sun
1
flight
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
8
Outbound / wk
7
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for MEL to SFO.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
23
Hubs
~16h
Fastest
~49h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,119
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
MEL → SFO
96%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Arriving
96%
Return
SFO → MEL
85%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
85%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. SFO delays →

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-18h
San Francisco is 18 hours behind Melbourne.
MEL: AEDT · SFO: PDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Melbourne, it's 12:00 AM in San Francisco.
Distance & Flight Time
7,863 mi / 12,654 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 14h 25m to 14h 32m.
Getting to MEL

No train connection exists; the Melbourne Airport Rail Link was under development as of 2026 but not yet open. The SkyBus operates 24/7 between Southern Cross Station (Spencer St) and MEL in 30–40 minutes (AUD $22–24 one-way). Stops at select CBD hotels on some services.Ride-shares (Uber) from the CBD cost AUD $35–55 and take 25–40 minutes. Taxis run AUD $55–75 (higher at nights and weekends). Parking from AUD $20/day in economy lots. The Tullamarine Freeway is the only practical road route; check traffic before departing.

Getting from SFO

BART from SFO station (free AirTrain from any terminal to the station) to downtown San Francisco takes 30–40 minutes ($10.45 to Embarcadero). Traffic on 101 can make taxis and ride-hails much slower during peak hours; BART skips all of that. BART also reaches Oakland, Berkeley, and Millbrae for Caltrain connections.Ride-hails from SFO use a dedicated garage pickup area; follow signs. Taxis are metered; downtown SF costs $40–60. Caltrain to the Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose) requires taking BART to Millbrae station for the transfer. Rental cars are at a consolidated facility accessible by AirTrain.

San Francisco Climate

Coastal fog dominates the climate pattern. The thick marine layer ("Karl the Fog") rolls into SFO from the Pacific regularly in summer (June–September), causing significant low-visibility delays even on days that appear sunny inland. Morning fog burns off by afternoon most days, but persistent IFR conditions can last all day. This is the primary flight disruption risk at SFO.

Temperatures are mild year-round (10–20°C) with little seasonal variation. Winters bring rain (December–March) and occasional atmospheric river events that cause brief but intense flooding on the 101. Summers are cool. Pack a light jacket year-round. Wind off the bay affects small aircraft approach paths.

MEL–SFO Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Melbourne to San Francisco route.
Route details
Distance7,863 mi / 12,654 km
Flight time14h 25m to 14h 32m
Time difference-18 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights8 out / 7 return
1-stop connections23 hubs
Origin: MEL
IATA / ICAOMEL / YMML
TimezoneAustralia/Melbourne
Passengers/yr35.0M
Elevation434 ft / 132 m
Destination: SFO
IATA / ICAOSFO / KSFO
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr52.3M
Elevation13 ft / 4 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about MEL to SFO flights.
Nonstop flights from Melbourne Airport to San Francisco International Airport take approximately 14h 25m to 14h 32m. The route covers 7,863 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: United Airlines.
There are approximately 8 nonstop flights per week from MEL to SFO. The return direction has about 7 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through HNL, NAN, NRT, LAX, DFW, SYD, CAN, AKL, ICN, BNE, ADL, SGN, CHC, HKG, SIN, TPE, PEK, MNL, DEL, XMN, DOH, PVG and DXB. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
San Francisco is 18 hours behind Melbourne.
Yes, return flights from SFO to MEL are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from MEL to SFO

Melbourne Airport (MEL) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines. With 8 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

MEL to SFO Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from MEL to SFO ranges from 14 hours 25 minutes to 14 hours 32 minutes. The route covers a distance of 7,863 miles (12,654 km). There are approximately 8 weekly flights outbound and 7 return, totaling 15 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

23 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 16 hours via HNL. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.