Nonstop flight route between San Francisco, California, United States and Seoul, South Korea:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from SFO to SEL:
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- About this route
- SFO Airport Information
- SEL Airport Information
- Facts about SFO
- Facts about SEL
- Map of Nearest Airports to SFO
- List of Nearest Airports to SFO
- Map of Furthest Airports from SFO
- List of Furthest Airports from SFO
- Map of Nearest Airports to SEL
- List of Nearest Airports to SEL
- Map of Furthest Airports from SEL
- List of Furthest Airports from SEL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Francisco, California, United States and Gimpo International Airport (SEL), Seoul, South Korea would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,627 miles (or 9,056 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between San Francisco International Airport and Gimpo International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between San Francisco International Airport and Gimpo International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SFO / KSFO |
Airport Name: | San Francisco International Airport |
Location: | San Francisco, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°37'8"N by 122°22'30"W |
Area Served: | San Francisco |
Operator/Owner: | City & County of San Francisco |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 13 feet (4 meters) |
# of Runways: | 4 |
View all routes: | Routes from SFO |
More Information: | SFO Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | SEL / |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Seoul, South Korea |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°33'29"N by 126°47'26"E |
Area Served: | Seoul |
Operator/Owner: | Korea Airports Corporation |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 58 feet (18 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from SEL |
More Information: | SEL Maps & Info |
Facts about San Francisco International Airport (SFO):
- SFO experiences delays in overcast weather when only two of the airport's four runways can be used at a time because the centerlines of the parallel runways are only 750 feet apart.
- Because of San Francisco International Airport's relatively low elevation of 13 feet, planes can take off or land at San Francisco International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- The first international nonstops were ANA/BCPA DC-4s to Vancouver in 1946-47.
- On May 12, 2008, a $383 million renovation project was announced that included a new control tower, the use of green materials, and a seismic retrofit.
- SFO was one of the first airports to implement a Fly Quiet Program which grades individual air carriers on their performance on noise abatement procedures while flying in and out of SFO.
- The closest airport to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is Half Moon Bay AirportHalf Moon Bay Flight Strip (HAF), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) SW of SFO.
- The airport opened on May 7, 1927, on 150 acres of cow pasture.
- San Francisco International Airport handled 44,477,209 passengers last year.
- The furthest airport from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 11,365 miles (18,290 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has 4 runways.
Facts about Gimpo International Airport (SEL):
- The closest airport to Gimpo International Airport (SEL) is Gimpo International Airport (GMP), which is located only 0 mile (0 kilometer) N of SEL.
- The furthest airport from Gimpo International Airport (SEL) is Villa Gesell Airport (VLG), which is nearly antipodal to Gimpo International Airport (meaning Gimpo International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Villa Gesell Airport), and is located 12,226 miles (19,676 kilometers) away in Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- In 1958 Kimpo was designated as the international airport of the South Korean capital city and has grown into a much more significant airport that is capable of handling 226,000 flights a year.
- Engine change on an F-86E in 1952
- North Korean forces attacked South Korea on 25 June 1950 starting the Korean War.
- Following the Chinese Third Phase Campaign and the defeat of UN Forces at the 38th parallel, on 5 January 1951 General Ridgway ordered the evacuation of Seoul and the withdrawal of UN forces to a new defensive line along the 37th parallel.
- Because of Gimpo International Airport's relatively low elevation of 58 feet, planes can take off or land at Gimpo International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- Gimpo Airport primarily serves domestic and limited international flights to Japan, Taiwan, and China.
- In addition to being known as "Gimpo International Airport", other names for SEL include "김포국제공항 金浦國際空港", "Gimpo Gukje Gonghang Kimp'o Kukche Konghang", "GMP" and "RKSS".
- Gimpo International Airport handled 19,424,032 passengers last year.
- Gimpo International Airport (SEL) has 2 runways.