Los Angeles to San Francisco (LAX–SFO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
LAX–SFO is served by 8 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 338 miles in approximately 1h 25m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: AV, AZ, CA, CM, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | 112 | 320, 738, 739, 7M8, 7M9, B39M, E7W | 1h16-1h37 | Star Alliance | AV, AZ, CA, CM, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | |
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: AY, BA, DE, HA, IB, QR | 91 | 738, 739, 73H, 73J, 7M8, 7M9, E75L | 1h19-1h30 | Oneworld | AY, BA, DE, HA, IB, QR | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AT, AY, BA, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, PD, QF, QR | 73 | 738, E75, E75L | 1h27-2h19 | Oneworld | AT, AY, BA, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, PD, QF, QR | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 66 | 737, 73H, 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 1h07-1h30 | – | – | |
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, CI, KE, LA, LY, SK, VS, WS | 49 | 738, 739 | 1h18-1h26 | SkyTeam | AF, AM, CI, KE, LA, LY, SK, VS, WS | |
| F9 Frontier Also: Y4 | 7 | 32Q | 1h38 | – | Y4 | |
| BR EVA Air | 2 | 77X | 1h25 | Star Alliance | – | |
| OO SkyWest Airlines | 1 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach San Francisco from Los Angeles
| Metric | LAX→SFO | HHR→SFO | LGB→SFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from LAX | – | 4 mi | 17 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Weekly flights | 1088 | – | 1 |
| Flight time | 1h 25m | 1h 6m | 1h 30m |
| Departure OTP | 87% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
LAX: PDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Los Angeles, it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco.
FlyAway bus runs from Van Nuys and Union Station ($9.75, 30–50 min depending on traffic). LA Metro C Line connects to Aviation/LAX station; a free shuttle covers the last mile to terminals. Ride-shares cost $20–50 from downtown. Long-term parking lots A/B are walkable; remote Lot E requires a shuttle.
BART from SFO station (free AirTrain from any terminal to the station) to downtown San Francisco takes 30–40 minutes ($10.45 to Embarcadero). Traffic on 101 can make taxis and ride-hails much slower during peak hours; BART skips all of that. BART also reaches Oakland, Berkeley, and Millbrae for Caltrain connections.Ride-hails from SFO use a dedicated garage pickup area; follow signs. Taxis are metered; downtown SF costs $40–60. Caltrain to the Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose) requires taking BART to Millbrae station for the transfer. Rental cars are at a consolidated facility accessible by AirTrain.
Coastal fog dominates the climate pattern. The thick marine layer ("Karl the Fog") rolls into SFO from the Pacific regularly in summer (June–September), causing significant low-visibility delays even on days that appear sunny inland. Morning fog burns off by afternoon most days, but persistent IFR conditions can last all day. This is the primary flight disruption risk at SFO.
Temperatures are mild year-round (10–20°C) with little seasonal variation. Winters bring rain (December–March) and occasional atmospheric river events that cause brief but intense flooding on the 101. Summers are cool. Pack a light jacket year-round. Wind off the bay affects small aircraft approach paths.
LAX–SFO Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Los Angeles to San Francisco: California's Highest-Frequency Corridor
LAX–SFO edges SFO–LAX in carrier count, with 14 airlines offering scheduled service. The combination of legacy, low-cost, and ultra-low-cost carriers makes this one of the most competitive short-haul routes in the US. Departure frequency rivals the air shuttle concept, with departures every 15–20 minutes during weekday peak hours. Block time is 60–70 minutes.
SFO as a Transpacific Hub
San Francisco International is the dominant West Coast gateway for transpacific routes to Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, particularly for United, ANA, and Singapore Airlines. Travelers arriving from LAX and connecting internationally at SFO should allow at least 90 minutes for domestic-to-international terminal transit, as the connections require a terminal change and international security re-screening.