Flights to San Francisco
Which airport to land at, how far each is from the centre, and where the routes go. Live fares are booked here.
San Francisco is served by 6 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), 18 km (11 mi) from the centre, whose 11,870-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK, 18 km), Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC, 63 km), San Carlos Airport (SQL, 33 km), Buchanan Field (CCR, 40 km), Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS, 89 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco International Airport | SFO | 18 km (11 mi) | 11,870 ft | 13 ft |
| Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport | OAK | 18 km (11 mi) | 10,520 ft | 9 ft |
| Mineta San Jose International Airport | SJC | 63 km (39 mi) | 11,000 ft | 62 ft |
| San Carlos Airport (regional) | SQL | 33 km (21 mi) | 2,621 ft | 5 ft |
| Buchanan Field (regional) | CCR | 40 km (25 mi) | 5,001 ft | 26 ft |
| Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (regional) | STS | 89 km (55 mi) | 6,000 ft | 128 ft |
Runway length is a practical tell: at 11,870 ft, SFO can take the largest long-haul aircraft, so direct intercontinental flights are physically possible here. The airport sits at 13 ft; that is low enough that altitude never restricts departures.
Book a flight to San Francisco
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Routes to and from San Francisco
Straight-line distance and an estimated block time for the city pairs people search for most. Each opens a page with both ends’ airports, the time-zone shift and what changes on arrival.
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco to Los Angeles | United States | 559 km (347 mi) | about 1 h 28 min |
| San Francisco to Tijuana | Mexico | 765 km (476 mi) | about 1 h 44 min |
| San Francisco to Phoenix | United States | 1,051 km (653 mi) | about 2 h 6 min |
| San Francisco to San Diego | United States | 737 km (458 mi) | about 1 h 42 min |
| San Francisco to Mexicali | Mexico | 853 km (530 mi) | about 1 h 51 min |
| San Francisco to Hermosillo | Mexico | 1,434 km (891 mi) | about 2 h 35 min |
| San Francisco to Seattle | United States | 1,093 km (679 mi) | about 2 h 9 min |
| San Francisco to Vancouver | Canada | 1,277 km (794 mi) | about 2 h 23 min |
| San Francisco to Portland | United States | 862 km (536 mi) | about 1 h 51 min |
| San Francisco to Las Vegas | United States | 671 km (417 mi) | about 1 h 37 min |
| San Francisco to Surrey | Canada | 1,260 km (783 mi) | about 2 h 22 min |
| San Francisco to Albuquerque | United States | 1,440 km (895 mi) | about 2 h 36 min |
| San Francisco to Tucson | United States | 1,214 km (754 mi) | about 2 h 18 min |
| San Francisco to Fresno | United States | 261 km (162 mi) | about 1 h 5 min |
| San Francisco to Long Beach | United States | 587 km (364 mi) | about 1 h 30 min |
| San Francisco to Mesa | United States | 1,072 km (666 mi) | about 2 h 7 min |
| San Francisco to Ensenada | Mexico | 844 km (524 mi) | about 1 h 50 min |
| San Francisco to Bakersfield | United States | 404 km (251 mi) | about 1 h 16 min |
| San Francisco to Anaheim | United States | 597 km (371 mi) | about 1 h 31 min |
| San Francisco to Riverside | United States | 621 km (386 mi) | about 1 h 33 min |
| San Francisco to Santa Ana | United States | 608 km (378 mi) | about 1 h 32 min |
| San Francisco to Victoria | Canada | 1,188 km (738 mi) | about 2 h 16 min |
| San Francisco to Shanghai | China | 9,881 km (6,140 mi) | about 13 h 25 min |
| San Francisco to Chongqing | China | 10,961 km (6,811 mi) | about 14 h 48 min |
| San Francisco to Chengdu | China | 11,003 km (6,837 mi) | about 14 h 51 min |
| San Francisco to Beijing | China | 9,503 km (5,905 mi) | about 12 h 56 min |
| San Francisco to Istanbul | Turkey | 10,784 km (6,701 mi) | about 14 h 35 min |
| San Francisco to Tianjin | China | 9,520 km (5,916 mi) | about 12 h 57 min |
| San Francisco to Wuhan | China | 10,403 km (6,464 mi) | about 14 h 5 min |
| San Francisco to Lahore | Pakistan | 12,112 km (7,526 mi) | about 16 h 17 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Common questions
Which airport should I fly into for San Francisco?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the closest large airport at 18 km (11 mi). The others, OAK, SJC, SQL, CCR, STS, are further out and worth it only when the fare or the airline makes them so.
How far is SFO from San Francisco city centre?
18 km (11 mi) in a straight line; the road or rail distance is somewhat longer.
Can I book flights to San Francisco on this site?
Very soon: our airline partner is switching live fares on for this site. Hotels can be booked now.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.