San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX) is 338 miles in a straight line, about 1h 11m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 6 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.
- SFOTowerSan Francisco Tower (SFO)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- NCTTRACONNorthern California TRACON (NCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZOACenterOakland ARTCC (ZOA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Starts your descentThank them →
- SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- LAXTowerLos Angeles International Tower (LAX)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO)
LAX → SCT → ZLA → ZOA → NCT → SFO
About the airports
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Codes: SFO · KSFO
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: San Francisco Tower (SFO)
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA
Codes: LAX · KLAX
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX)
More routes
- San Francisco (SFO) to Atlanta (ATL)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Denver (DEN)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- San Francisco (SFO) to New York JFK (JFK)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Orlando (MCO)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Miami (MIA)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Charlotte (CLT)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Seattle (SEA)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Phoenix (PHX)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Newark (EWR)
- Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Boston (BOS) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to San Francisco (SFO)
- Minneapolis (MSP) to San Francisco (SFO)
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 Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
About 1h 11m gate to gate for the 338-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.
How far is San Francisco (SFO) from Los Angeles (LAX)?
338 miles (293 nautical miles, 543 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 Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
Usually 6 facilities: San Francisco Tower (SFO), Northern California TRACON (NCT), Oakland ARTCC (ZOA), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Southern California TRACON (SCT) and Los Angeles International Tower (LAX). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX)?
No. San Francisco (SFO) and Los Angeles (LAX) are in the same time zone.