Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Francisco (SFO) is 598 miles in a straight line, about 1h 42m 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.
- SLCTowerSalt Lake City Tower (SLC)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- S56TRACONSalt Lake City TRACON (S56)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZLCCenterSalt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZOACenterOakland ARTCC (ZOA)Starts your descentThank them →
- NCTTRACONNorthern California TRACON (NCT)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- SFOTowerSan Francisco Tower (SFO)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
San Francisco (SFO) to Salt Lake City (SLC)
SFO → NCT → ZOA → ZLC → S56 → SLC
About the airports
Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City, UT
Codes: SLC · KSLC
Time zone: Mountain
Control tower: Salt Lake City Tower (SLC)
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, CA
Codes: SFO · KSFO
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: San Francisco Tower (SFO)
More routes
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Denver (DEN)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to New York JFK (JFK)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Las Vegas (LAS)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Orlando (MCO)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Miami (MIA)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Charlotte (CLT)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Seattle (SEA)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Phoenix (PHX)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Newark (EWR)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Houston (IAH)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Boston (BOS)
- Salt Lake City (SLC) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
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 Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Francisco (SFO)?
About 1h 42m gate to gate for the 598-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.
How far is Salt Lake City (SLC) from San Francisco (SFO)?
598 miles (519 nautical miles, 962 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Francisco (SFO)?
Usually 6 facilities: Salt Lake City Tower (SLC), Salt Lake City TRACON (S56), Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), Oakland ARTCC (ZOA), Northern California TRACON (NCT) and San Francisco Tower (SFO). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Salt Lake City (SLC) and San Francisco (SFO)?
Yes. San Francisco (SFO) is 1 hour behind Salt Lake City (SLC).