LAX to SFO: Distance and Flight Time
The distance from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 543 km (338 mi). A typical nonstop flight covers it in about 1h 10m, heading northwest. The distance is the same in either direction (SFO to LAX).
How far is it from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
The great-circle distance between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 543 km (338 mi, 293 nautical miles). That is the straight-line distance; a real flight is a little longer because of air-traffic routing.
How long is the flight from LAX to SFO?
A nonstop flight typically takes about 1h 10m. This is an estimate from the distance; actual block times depend on the aircraft, winds and the exact routing. SFO is roughly northwest of LAX.
How is the LAX to SFO route written in code?
The pair is written LAX-SFO in IATA codes and KLAX-KSFO in ICAO codes, the form used on a flight plan. Los Angeles International Airport is LAX (KLAX), San Francisco International Airport is SFO (KSFO).
| LAX | SFO | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Los Angeles International Airport | San Francisco International Airport |
| ICAO code | KLAX | KSFO |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Elevation | 125 ft | 13 ft |
| Rank by connections | #7 | #46 |
Both ICAO codes start with K, the prefix ICAO assigns to the contiguous United States, so this is a route inside one ICAO region. How ICAO prefixes are laid out.
SFO sits 112 ft (34 m) lower than LAX, which is a real difference in air density on takeoff.
Airlines flying LAX to SFO
5 airlines appear on this route in the open route dataset, 5 of them still listed as active. Each row gives the IATA code, the ICAO code and the radio callsign, which is what an air traffic controller hears:
| IATA | Airline | ICAO | Callsign | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA | American Airlines | AAL | American | Active |
| UA | United Airlines | UAL | United | Active |
| US | US Airways | USA | U S Air | Active |
| VX | Virgin America | VRD | Redwood | Active |
| WN | Southwest Airlines | SWA | Southwest | Active |
A further 2 carriers sell this pair as a codeshare without operating it: AS, DL.
Route and carrier data comes from the OpenFlights open dataset, regenerated here on . It is a historical snapshot of scheduled connections, not a live schedule, and it includes codeshare listings, so some carriers shown may no longer operate the route or exist. How we build this · Data and sources.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Los Angeles from San Francisco?
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are 543 km (338 mi, 293 nautical miles) apart in a straight line.
How long is the flight from LAX to SFO?
A typical nonstop flight between LAX and SFO takes about 1h 10m. Actual times vary with aircraft type, winds and routing.
What direction is SFO from LAX?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) lies roughly northwest of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Which airlines fly LAX to SFO?
5 airlines appear on the LAX-SFO route in the open dataset, including American Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways.
Related routes
Other routes from Los Angeles (LAX):
Other routes from San Francisco (SFO):
LAX airport code · SFO airport code · Busiest airports worldwide