Washington National (DCA) to Seattle (SEA) is 2,323 miles in a straight line, about 5h 09m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 10 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 →
- ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZLCCenterSalt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZSECenterSeattle ARTCC (ZSE)Starts your descentThank them →
- S46TRACONSeattle TRACON (S46)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- SEATowerSeattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
Seattle (SEA) to Washington National (DCA)
SEA → S46 → ZSE → ZLC → ZMP → ZAU → ZOB → 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)
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Seattle, WA
Codes: SEA · KSEA
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Seattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA)
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 Phoenix (PHX)
- Washington National (DCA) to Newark (EWR)
- Washington National (DCA) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Washington National (DCA) to Houston (IAH)
- 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 Seattle (SEA)?
About 5h 09m gate to gate for the 2,323-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Washington National (DCA) from Seattle (SEA)?
2,323 miles (2,019 nautical miles, 3,738 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 Seattle (SEA)?
Usually 10 facilities: Reagan National Tower (DCA), Potomac TRACON (PCT), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), Seattle ARTCC (ZSE), Seattle TRACON (S46) and Seattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Washington National (DCA) and Seattle (SEA)?
Yes. Seattle (SEA) is 3 hours behind Washington National (DCA).