Washington National (DCA) to Houston (IAH) is 1,206 miles in a straight line, about 2h 55m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 9 air traffic control facilities along the way.
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.
- DCATowerReagan National Tower (DCA)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- PCTTRACONPotomac TRACON (PCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZDCCenterWashington ARTCC (ZDC)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZTLCenterAtlanta ARTCC (ZTL)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZMECenterMemphis ARTCC (ZME)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZHUCenterHouston ARTCC (ZHU)Starts your descentThank them →
- I90TRACONHouston TRACON (I90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- IAHTowerHouston Bush Tower (IAH)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
Houston (IAH) to Washington National (DCA)
IAH → I90 → ZHU → ZFW → ZME → ZTL → ZDC → PCT → DCA
About the airports
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Washington, DC
Codes: DCA · KDCA
Time zone: Eastern
Control tower: Reagan National Tower (DCA)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston, TX
Codes: IAH · KIAH
Time zone: Central
Control tower: Houston Bush Tower (IAH)
More routes
- Washington National (DCA) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Washington National (DCA) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Washington National (DCA) to Denver (DEN)
- Washington National (DCA) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Washington National (DCA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Washington National (DCA) to New York JFK (JFK)
- Washington National (DCA) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Washington National (DCA) to Orlando (MCO)
- Washington National (DCA) to Miami (MIA)
- Washington National (DCA) to Charlotte (CLT)
- Washington National (DCA) to Seattle (SEA)
- Washington National (DCA) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Washington National (DCA) to Newark (EWR)
- Washington National (DCA) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Washington National (DCA) to Boston (BOS)
- Washington National (DCA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
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.
Say thanks to the controllers who got you there. It's free, takes 30 seconds, and every post is checked before it goes up.
Common questions
How long is the flight from Washington National (DCA) to Houston (IAH)?
About 2h 55m gate to gate for the 1,206-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Washington National (DCA) from Houston (IAH)?
1,206 miles (1,048 nautical miles, 1,942 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Washington National (DCA) to Houston (IAH)?
Usually 9 facilities: Reagan National Tower (DCA), Potomac TRACON (PCT), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Atlanta ARTCC (ZTL), Memphis ARTCC (ZME), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Houston ARTCC (ZHU), Houston TRACON (I90) and Houston Bush Tower (IAH). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Washington National (DCA) and Houston (IAH)?
Yes. Houston (IAH) is 1 hour behind Washington National (DCA).