San Diego to San Francisco (SAN–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.
SAN–SFO is served by 6 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 447 miles in approximately 1h 44m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, AZ, CM, LX, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | 71 | 738, 739, 7M9, B38M, E7W | 1h27-1h53 | Star Alliance | AC, AZ, CM, LX, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | |
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: CX, DE, FJ, JL, QF, QR | 49 | 73H, E75, E75L | 1h35-2h01 | Oneworld | CX, DE, FJ, JL, QF, QR | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 48 | 737, 738, 73H, 7M8, 7S7 | 1h30-1h45 | – | – | |
| F9 Frontier | 7 | A20N | 1h55 | – | – | |
| OO SkyWest Airlines | 1 | – | – | – | – | |
| IB Iberia | 0 | – | – | Oneworld | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach San Francisco from San Diego
| Metric | SAN→SFO | TIJ→SFO | CLD→SFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SAN | – | 18 mi | 28 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Weekly flights | 460 | – | 14 |
| Flight time | 1h 44m | 1h 10m | 1h 29m |
| Departure OTP | 92% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SAN: PDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Diego, it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco.
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.
SAN–SFO Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
San Diego to San Francisco: California Intrastate Air Shuttle
The San Diego–San Francisco segment is among the busiest intrastate routes in the US, connecting California's second-largest city with its primary financial and technology center. Five carriers operate 255 weekly departures across the 450-mile corridor: United, Southwest, Alaska, American, and occasionally others. The route is largely a business travel corridor, driven by corporate traffic between San Diego's defense and biotech sectors and San Francisco's technology industry, though leisure demand is consistent year-round.
SFO Congestion and Connection Utility
San Francisco International is one of the most delay-prone airports in the US, primarily due to coastal fog reducing the airport's instrument approach capacity. SAN passengers connecting through SFO to international routes should build buffer time into their itineraries, particularly on morning flights. United's transpacific network is particularly affected. The route's high frequency means rebooking on the next available departure is typically straightforward when delays occur.