San Juan (SJU) to Los Angeles (LAX) is 3,382 miles in a straight line, about 7h 16m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 10 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.
- SJUTowerLuis Muñoz Marín International Tower (SJU)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- ZSUCenterSan Juan Combined Center/Radar Approach Control (ZSU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZMACenterMiami ARTCC (ZMA)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZJXCenterJacksonville ARTCC (ZJX)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZHUCenterHouston ARTCC (ZHU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZABCenterAlbuquerque ARTCC (ZAB)Keeps you separated en routeThank 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 Juan (SJU)
LAX → SCT → ZLA → ZAB → ZFW → ZHU → ZJX → ZMA → ZSU → SJU
About the airports
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport
San Juan, PR
Codes: SJU · TJSJ
Time zone: Atlantic
Control tower: Luis Muñoz Marín International Tower (SJU)
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA
Codes: LAX · KLAX
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX)
More routes
- San Juan (SJU) to Atlanta (ATL)
- San Juan (SJU) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- San Juan (SJU) to Denver (DEN)
- San Juan (SJU) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- San Juan (SJU) to New York JFK (JFK)
- San Juan (SJU) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- San Juan (SJU) to Orlando (MCO)
- San Juan (SJU) to Miami (MIA)
- San Juan (SJU) to Charlotte (CLT)
- San Juan (SJU) to Seattle (SEA)
- San Juan (SJU) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- New York JFK (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX)
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 Juan (SJU) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
About 7h 16m gate to gate for the 3,382-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is San Juan (SJU) from Los Angeles (LAX)?
3,382 miles (2,939 nautical miles, 5,443 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 Juan (SJU) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
Usually 10 facilities: Luis Muñoz Marín International Tower (SJU), San Juan Combined Center/Radar Approach Control (ZSU), Miami ARTCC (ZMA), Jacksonville ARTCC (ZJX), Houston ARTCC (ZHU), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB), 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 Juan (SJU) and Los Angeles (LAX)?
Yes. Los Angeles (LAX) is 3 hours behind San Juan (SJU) in summer and 4 hours in winter.