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HEL to SMO: distance & flight time
Helsinki (Helsinki Vantaa Airport) → Santa Monica (Santa Monica Municipal Airport)
5,597 mi
9,007 km · 4,863 nm
11h 26m
estimated nonstop flight time
-9h
time difference · heading northwest
See live HEL→SMO fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
5,597 miles nonstop takes roughly 11h 26m gate to gate, flying northwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 9-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- HEL — Helsinki Vantaa Airport · Helsinki, Finland
- SMO — Santa Monica Municipal Airport · Santa Monica, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near HEL
- HEM · Helsinki Malmi Airport5 mi away
- HYV · Hyvinkää Airfield23 mi away
- QLF · Lahti Vesivehmaa Airport62 mi away
- TLL · Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport63 mi away
Near SMO
- LAX · Los Angeles International Airport6 mi away
- HHR · Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport9 mi away
- BUR · Bob Hope Airport14 mi away
- VNY · Van Nuys Airport14 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is HEL from SMO?
The flight distance from Helsinki (HEL) to Santa Monica (SMO) is 5,597 miles (9,007 km, 4,863 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from HEL to SMO?
A nonstop flight takes about 11h 26m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from HEL to SMO?
Nonstop service on HEL–SMO depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 11h 26m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Helsinki and Santa Monica?
Santa Monica is 9 hours behind Helsinki.
What is the cheapest way to fly from HEL to SMO?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on HEL–SMO that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some HEL to SMO fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain HEL–SMO tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.