Philadelphia (PHL) to Boston (BOS)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Philadelphia (PHL) to Boston (BOS) is 280 miles in a straight line, about 1h 04m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 6 air traffic control facilities along the way.

280miles
243nautical miles
450kilometers
~1h 04mestimated flight time
Nonetime change on arrival
Northeastinitial heading

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.

  1. PHLTowerPhiladelphia Tower (PHL)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. PHLTRACONPhiladelphia TRACON (PHL)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZBWCenterBoston ARTCC (ZBW)Starts your descentThank them →
  5. A90TRACONBoston TRACON (A90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  6. BOSTowerBoston Logan Tower (BOS)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Boston (BOS) to Philadelphia (PHL)

BOS → A90 → ZBW → ZNY → PHL → PHL

About the airports

Philadelphia International Airport

Philadelphia, PA

Codes: PHL · KPHL

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Philadelphia Tower (PHL)

Thank the tower →

Boston Logan International Airport

Boston, MA

Codes: BOS · KBOS

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Boston Logan Tower (BOS)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

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.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to Boston (BOS)?

About 1h 04m gate to gate for the 280-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.

How far is Philadelphia (PHL) from Boston (BOS)?

280 miles (243 nautical miles, 450 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to Boston (BOS)?

Usually 6 facilities: Philadelphia Tower (PHL), Philadelphia TRACON (PHL), New York ARTCC (ZNY), Boston ARTCC (ZBW), Boston TRACON (A90) and Boston Logan Tower (BOS). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Philadelphia (PHL) and Boston (BOS)?

No. Philadelphia (PHL) and Boston (BOS) are in the same time zone.

Updated October 2026

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