San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco, United StatesSFO / KSFO
International hub · 130 direct destinations · 4 runways · longest runway 11,870 ft
74 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
San Francisco → Washington
SFO
San FranciscoSan Francisco International Airport
San FranciscoSan Francisco International AirportDCAWashingtonRonald Reagan Washington National Airport
WashingtonRonald Reagan Washington National Airport- Distance
- 2,436 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~5h 25m
Washington is currently 3 hours ahead of San Francisco.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
A couple of times a day
On average around 3 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 3
- flights per day
- 3
- busiest month · Oct
- 4 hr 36 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 3Jan2026
- 3Feb
- 3Mar
- 3Apr
- 3May
- 3Jun
- 3Jul
- 3Aug
- 3Sep
- 3Oct2025
- 3Nov
- 3Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
United Airlinesall year
Alaska Airlinesall year
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in San Francisco. Most departures between 08:00 and 11:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 2.5Mon
- 2.7Tue
- 2.6Wed
- 2.6Thu
- 2.7Fri
- 2.8Sat
- 2.7Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 737 MAX 8B38M69%
- Boeing 737-800B73831%
- Boeing 757-200B7521%
- Boeing 737 MAX 7B37M0%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 3 | 84 |
|
| February 2026 | 3 | 75 |
|
| March 2026 | 3 | 79 |
|
| April 2026 | 3 | 78 |
|
| May 2026 | 3 | 79 |
|
| June 2026 | 3 | 84 |
|
| July 2026 | 3 | 80 |
|
| August 2026 | 3 | 73 |
|
| September 2026 | 3 | 84 |
|
| October 2025 | 3 | 83 |
|
| November 2025 | 3 | 81 |
|
| December 2025 | 3 | 80 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on SFO-DCA - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Domestic route: both airports are in the same country.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from San Francisco: 130.
- Direct destinations observed from Washington: 111.
The airports on this route
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Washington, United StatesDCA / KDCA
Major airport · 111 direct destinations · 3 runways · longest runway 7,169 ft
80 °F · ClearSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
About the route from San Francisco to Washington
The observed direct connection between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) covers approximately 2,436 mi. The estimated flight time is around 5h 25m. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is San Francisco from Washington by air?
- The great-circle distance between San Francisco International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is approximately 2,436 mi.
- How long is the flight from San Francisco to Washington?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 5h 25m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from San Francisco to Washington?
- Yes, a direct connection between SFO and DCA has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: Alaska Airlines and United Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from San Francisco to Washington?
- On average around 3 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 960 observed flights. Mainly United Airlines, Alaska Airlines. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between San Francisco and Washington?
- Washington is currently 3 hours ahead of San Francisco.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.