San Francisco to Houston (SFO–IAH) — 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.
SFO–IAH is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 1,633 miles in approximately 4h 5m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: EK, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | 83 | 739, 777, 7M9, B39M | 3h19-4h12 | Star Alliance | EK, NH, NZ, OZ, VA | |
| TWY TWY | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Houston from San Francisco
| Metric | SFO→IAH | OAK→IAH | SJC→IAH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SFO | – | 11 mi | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Weekly flights | 198 | – | 7 |
| Flight time | 4h 5m | 3h 17m | 3h 55m |
| Departure OTP | 100% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · IAH: CDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 8:00 PM in Houston.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.
No direct rail from IAH. The METRO bus 102 (IAH Express) runs to downtown Houston's transit center (60–90 min, $1.25). Taxis to downtown Houston cost $50–70. Ride-hails pick up at the designated Rideshare zones outside baggage claim on the lower level.IAH has five terminals (A–E) connected by an underground tunnel with trams. Terminal D handles international arrivals. Rental car agencies are in a consolidated facility adjacent to Terminal C; a free IAH Connector bus runs between terminals and the rental car center. The Galleria / Uptown area costs $35–50 by ride-hail.
Humid subtropical climate. Hot, humid, and wet for much of the year. Summers are brutal (33–38°C) with high humidity and near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Severe storms with hail and high winds regularly cause ground stops from April through September. Houston's flooding risk is significant. Heavy rain events, including tropical system remnants, have flooded airport roads, cutting off surface access even when the airport itself remains operational.
Winters are mild (5–18°C) with occasional ice storms. These are rare but highly disruptive when they occur. Hurricane season (June–November) requires monitoring for Gulf storms. October through March has the best flying weather.
SFO–IAH Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from SFO to IAH
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines. With 198 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.
SFO to IAH Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from SFO to IAH is about 4 hours 5 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 1,633 miles (2,627 km). There are approximately 198 weekly flights outbound and 246 return, totaling 444 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Austin Bergstrom, Phoenix Sky Harbor and Harry Reid. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Oakland (OAK), San Jose (SJC) and Concord (CCR).