Washington Dulles (IAD) to San Diego (SAN) is 2,248 miles in a straight line, about 5h 00m 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.
- IADTowerWashington Dulles Tower (IAD)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 →
- ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Starts your descentThank them →
- SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- SANTowerSan Diego Tower (SAN)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
San Diego (SAN) to Washington Dulles (IAD)
SAN → SCT → ZLA → ZAB → ZKC → ZID → ZOB → ZDC → PCT → IAD
About the airports
Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington, DC
Codes: IAD · KIAD
Time zone: Eastern
Control tower: Washington Dulles Tower (IAD)
San Diego International Airport
San Diego, CA
Codes: SAN · KSAN
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: San Diego Tower (SAN)
More routes
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Denver (DEN)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to New York JFK (JFK)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Orlando (MCO)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Miami (MIA)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Charlotte (CLT)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Seattle (SEA)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Newark (EWR)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Houston (IAH)
- Washington Dulles (IAD) to Boston (BOS)
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 Dulles (IAD) to San Diego (SAN)?
About 5h 00m gate to gate for the 2,248-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Washington Dulles (IAD) from San Diego (SAN)?
2,248 miles (1,954 nautical miles, 3,618 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 Dulles (IAD) to San Diego (SAN)?
Usually 10 facilities: Washington Dulles Tower (IAD), Potomac TRACON (PCT), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Southern California TRACON (SCT) and San Diego Tower (SAN). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Washington Dulles (IAD) and San Diego (SAN)?
Yes. San Diego (SAN) is 3 hours behind Washington Dulles (IAD).