Baltimore (BWI) to Phoenix (PHX)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Baltimore (BWI) to Phoenix (PHX) is 1,994 miles in a straight line, about 4h 29m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 9 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,994miles
1,733nautical miles
3,210kilometers
~4h 29mestimated flight time
−3 h / −2 htime change on arrival (summer / winter)
Westinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. BWITowerBaltimore-Washington Tower (BWI)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. PCTTRACONPotomac TRACON (PCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZDCCenterWashington ARTCC (ZDC)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  7. ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Starts your descentThank them →
  8. P50TRACONPhoenix TRACON (P50)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  9. PHXTowerPhoenix Sky Harbor Tower (PHX)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Phoenix (PHX) to Baltimore (BWI)

PHX → P50 → ZAB → ZKC → ZID → ZOB → ZDC → PCT → BWI

About the airports

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Baltimore, MD

Codes: BWI · KBWI

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Baltimore-Washington Tower (BWI)

Thank the tower →

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Phoenix, AZ

Codes: PHX · KPHX

Time zone: Arizona (Mountain, no daylight saving)

Control tower: Phoenix Sky Harbor Tower (PHX)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Baltimore (BWI) to Phoenix (PHX)?

About 4h 29m gate to gate for the 1,994-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is Baltimore (BWI) from Phoenix (PHX)?

1,994 miles (1,733 nautical miles, 3,210 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Baltimore (BWI) to Phoenix (PHX)?

Usually 9 facilities: Baltimore-Washington Tower (BWI), Potomac TRACON (PCT), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), Phoenix TRACON (P50) and Phoenix Sky Harbor Tower (PHX). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Baltimore (BWI) and Phoenix (PHX)?

Yes. Phoenix (PHX) is 3 hours behind Baltimore (BWI) in summer and 2 hours in winter.

Updated October 2026

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