San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS)

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

Quick answer

San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS) is 2,582 miles in a straight line, about 5h 40m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 13 air traffic control facilities along the way.

2,582miles
2,244nautical miles
4,156kilometers
~5h 40mestimated flight time
+3 htime 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. SANTowerSan Diego Tower (SAN)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  7. ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  8. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  9. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  10. ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  11. ZBWCenterBoston ARTCC (ZBW)Starts your descentThank them →
  12. A90TRACONBoston TRACON (A90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  13. BOSTowerBoston Logan Tower (BOS)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Boston (BOS) to San Diego (SAN)

BOS → A90 → ZBW → ZNY → ZOB → ZAU → ZKC → ZMP → ZDV → ZAB → ZLA → SCT → SAN

About the airports

San Diego International Airport

San Diego, CA

Codes: SAN · KSAN

Time zone: Pacific

Control tower: San Diego Tower (SAN)

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.

Find your airport or ATC facility →

Common questions

How long is the flight from San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS)?

About 5h 40m gate to gate for the 2,582-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.

How far is San Diego (SAN) from Boston (BOS)?

2,582 miles (2,244 nautical miles, 4,156 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS)?

Usually 13 facilities: San Diego Tower (SAN), Southern California TRACON (SCT), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), 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 San Diego (SAN) and Boston (BOS)?

Yes. Boston (BOS) is 3 hours ahead of San Diego (SAN).

Updated October 2026

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