Seattle to San Francisco (SEA–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.
SEA–SFO is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines lead the route. The flight covers 679 miles in approximately 2h 17m. 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, EK, LX, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | 79 | 319, 320, 739, 7M9, B38M, E75L, E7W | 2h10-2h38 | Star Alliance | AV, AZ, CA, CM, EK, LX, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | |
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: AY, BA, CX, DE, FI, FJ, HA, JL, KE, QF, QR | 74 | 738, 739, 73J, B38M | 2h11-2h22 | Oneworld | AY, BA, CX, DE, FI, FJ, HA, JL, KE, QF, QR | |
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, KE, SK, VS, WS | 35 | 223, BCS3, E75L | 2h18-2h26 | SkyTeam | AF, AM, KE, SK, VS, WS |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach San Francisco from Seattle
| Metric | SEA→SFO | BFI→SFO | PAE→SFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SEA | – | 5 mi | 32 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 3 | 12 | 8 |
| Weekly flights | 635 | 5 | 50 |
| Flight time | 2h 17m | 1h 36m | 2h 3m |
| Departure OTP | 31% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SEA: PDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Seattle, it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco.
Link Light Rail runs from downtown Seattle (Westlake station) to the airport in 38 minutes ($3.50 peak). Trains run every 6–12 minutes during peak hours from 5am to 1am. Ride-shares run $30–50 from downtown; SR-99 and I-5 can be heavily congested southbound during afternoon rush (3–7pm).
Sound Transit 574 express bus serves Tacoma ($2.50–4). Sounder commuter rail connects Tacoma to the airport area via 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.
SEA–SFO Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Seattle to San Francisco: West Coast Trunk Route
SEA-SFO carries 126 weekly nonstop departures across Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Alaska holds the strongest position at SEA, which is its primary hub. United uses SFO as a major Pacific gateway. Delta runs the segment to feed its domestic connecting network. Block time is 2 hours 24 minutes on average. Departures spread from 05:00 through 22:15, with roughly 18 flights per day. Aircraft are predominantly 737 variants and A220s. The 680-mile segment is bread-and-butter West Coast flying for all three carriers.
Delay Patterns and Connection Considerations
SFO is the primary delay risk on this route. Coastal fog reduces runway capacity several times per month, especially on May-through-August mornings when the fog layer is most persistent. Seattle is less susceptible to systemic weather delays, though winter storms can affect SEA in December and January. Passengers connecting through SFO to Asia-Pacific should add buffer time; SFO international departures in the late morning are the most vulnerable to fog-driven inbound delays. The AirTrain at SFO links all terminals without re-clearing security.