Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Francisco (SFO) is 2,579 miles in a straight line, about 5h 40m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 12 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.
- FLLTowerFort Lauderdale Tower (FLL)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- MIATRACONMiami TRACON (MIA)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZMACenterMiami ARTCC (ZMA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZJXCenterJacksonville ARTCC (ZJX)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZHUCenterHouston ARTCC (ZHU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)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 Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
SFO → NCT → ZOA → ZLA → ZDV → ZAB → ZFW → ZHU → ZJX → ZMA → MIA → FLL
About the airports
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Codes: FLL · KFLL
Time zone: Eastern
Control tower: Fort Lauderdale Tower (FLL)
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Codes: SFO · KSFO
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: San Francisco Tower (SFO)
More routes
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Denver (DEN)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to New York JFK (JFK)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Orlando (MCO)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Charlotte (CLT)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Seattle (SEA)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Newark (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Houston (IAH)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Boston (BOS)
- Minneapolis (MSP) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA) 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 Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Francisco (SFO)?
About 5h 40m gate to gate for the 2,579-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Fort Lauderdale (FLL) from San Francisco (SFO)?
2,579 miles (2,241 nautical miles, 4,151 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Francisco (SFO)?
Usually 12 facilities: Fort Lauderdale Tower (FLL), Miami TRACON (MIA), Miami ARTCC (ZMA), Jacksonville ARTCC (ZJX), Houston ARTCC (ZHU), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), 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 Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and San Francisco (SFO)?
Yes. San Francisco (SFO) is 3 hours behind Fort Lauderdale (FLL).