Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Seattle (SEA) is 2,349 miles in a straight line, about 5h 12m 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.
- RDUTowerRaleigh-Durham International Tower (RDU)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- ZDCCenterWashington ARTCC (ZDC)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZTLCenterAtlanta ARTCC (ZTL)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 →
- 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 Raleigh-Durham (RDU)
SEA → S46 → ZSE → ZLC → ZDV → ZMP → ZAU → ZKC → ZID → ZTL → ZDC → RDU
About the airports
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh/Durham, NC
Codes: RDU · KRDU
Time zone: Eastern
Control tower: Raleigh-Durham International Tower (RDU)
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
Seattle, WA
Codes: SEA · KSEA
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Seattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA)
More routes
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Denver (DEN)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to New York JFK (JFK)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Orlando (MCO)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Miami (MIA)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Seattle (SEA) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Seattle (SEA) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Seattle (SEA) to Denver (DEN)
- Seattle (SEA) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Seattle (SEA) to New York JFK (JFK)
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 Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Seattle (SEA)?
About 5h 12m gate to gate for the 2,349-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Raleigh-Durham (RDU) from Seattle (SEA)?
2,349 miles (2,041 nautical miles, 3,781 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Seattle (SEA)?
Usually 12 facilities: Raleigh-Durham International Tower (RDU), Washington ARTCC (ZDC), Atlanta ARTCC (ZTL), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), 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 Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and Seattle (SEA)?
Yes. Seattle (SEA) is 3 hours behind Raleigh-Durham (RDU).