San Diego (SAN) to New York JFK (JFK) is 2,441 miles in a straight line, about 5h 23m 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.
- SANTowerSan Diego Tower (SAN)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Starts your descentThank them →
- N90TRACONNew York TRACON (N90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- JFKTowerJFK International Tower (JFK)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
New York JFK (JFK) to San Diego (SAN)
JFK → N90 → ZNY → ZOB → ZID → ZAU → ZKC → ZAB → ZDV → 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)
John F. Kennedy International Airport
New York, NY
Codes: JFK · KJFK
Time zone: Eastern
Control tower: JFK International Tower (JFK)
More routes
- San Diego (SAN) to Atlanta (ATL)
- San Diego (SAN) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- San Diego (SAN) to Denver (DEN)
- San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- San Diego (SAN) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- San Diego (SAN) to Orlando (MCO)
- San Diego (SAN) to Miami (MIA)
- San Diego (SAN) to Charlotte (CLT)
- San Diego (SAN) to Seattle (SEA)
- San Diego (SAN) to Phoenix (PHX)
- San Diego (SAN) to Newark (EWR)
- San Diego (SAN) to San Francisco (SFO)
- San Diego (SAN) to Houston (IAH)
- San Diego (SAN) to Boston (BOS)
- San Diego (SAN) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- San Diego (SAN) to Minneapolis (MSP)
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 San Diego (SAN) to New York JFK (JFK)?
About 5h 23m gate to gate for the 2,441-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.
How far is San Diego (SAN) from New York JFK (JFK)?
2,441 miles (2,121 nautical miles, 3,928 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 New York JFK (JFK)?
Usually 12 facilities: San Diego Tower (SAN), Southern California TRACON (SCT), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), New York ARTCC (ZNY), New York TRACON (N90) and JFK International Tower (JFK). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between San Diego (SAN) and New York JFK (JFK)?
Yes. New York JFK (JFK) is 3 hours ahead of San Diego (SAN).