Seoul (ICN) to London (LHR) shipping route.

The air shipping route from Incheon International Airport to London Heathrow Airport is 9,304 km (5,024 nautical miles) along the flight path. The great circle distance between the airports is 8,861 km; airways, departure and arrival procedures add around 5%.

Flight time is about 12 h 24 min at 800 km/h block speed. Most cargo on this distance flies nonstop, in a freighter or in the belly of a passenger aircraft. Door to door air freight transit time is usually 1 to 3 days longer than the flight because of acceptance, security screening, customs and handling at both airports.

In the week we checked there were 2 flights between ICN and LHR, 1 of them on freighters, operated by Korean Air.

Air freight rates are charged per kilogram of chargeable weight: the higher of the actual weight and the volume weight (length x width x height in cm divided by 6,000). Light, bulky cargo pays for space, so compact packing on Seoul to London saves money. The shipment crosses from South Korea into the United Kingdom, so export and import customs clearance are part of the lead time.

Among 69 routes from Seoul (ICN) in this directory, London (LHR) is the 43rd shortest by flight distance. Shorter flights from Seoul: Luxembourg (9,130 km), Brussels (9,112 km) and Melbourne (8,994 km).