Washington National (DCA) to San Francisco (SFO) is 2,436 miles in a straight line, about 5h 22m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 13 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 →
- ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZLCCenterSalt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZOACenterOakland ARTCC (ZOA)Starts your descentThank them →
- NCTTRACONNorthern California TRACON (NCT)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- SFOTowerSan Francisco Tower (SFO)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
San Francisco (SFO) to Washington National (DCA)
SFO → NCT → ZOA → ZLC → ZDV → ZMP → ZKC → ZAU → ZID → 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)
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Codes: SFO · KSFO
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: San Francisco Tower (SFO)
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 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 San Francisco (SFO)?
About 5h 22m gate to gate for the 2,436-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Washington National (DCA) from San Francisco (SFO)?
2,436 miles (2,117 nautical miles, 3,921 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 San Francisco (SFO)?
Usually 13 facilities: Reagan National Tower (DCA), Potomac TRACON (PCT), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), Oakland ARTCC (ZOA), Northern California TRACON (NCT) and San Francisco Tower (SFO). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Washington National (DCA) and San Francisco (SFO)?
Yes. San Francisco (SFO) is 3 hours behind Washington National (DCA).