San Francisco to Los Angeles (SFO–LAX) — 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–LAX is served by 12 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 338 miles in approximately 1h 35m. 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, NZ, OZ, VA | 114 | 738, 739, 7M8, 7M9, B38M, E75L, E7W | 1h30-1h53 | Star Alliance | AV, AZ, CA, CM, EK, NZ, OZ, VA | |
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, AM, CI, LA, LY, MU, SK, VS, WS | 74 | 32Q, 738, 739 | 1h26-2h14 | SkyTeam | AF, AM, CI, LA, LY, MU, SK, VS, WS | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AT, AY, BA, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, PD, QF, QR | 56 | 738, E75, E75L | 1h34-1h53 | Oneworld | AT, AY, BA, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, PD, QF, QR | |
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: AY, BA, DE, HA, IB, QR | 45 | 738, 739, 73H, 73J, 7M9, B39M, E75 | 1h19-1h38 | Oneworld | AY, BA, DE, HA, IB, QR | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 42 | 737, 738, 73H, 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 1h20-1h50 | – | – | |
| F9 Frontier Also: Y4 | 14 | 32Q, A21N | 1h34-1h41 | – | Y4 | |
| 6I Air Alsie | 1 | – | – | – | – | |
| BR EVA Air | 1 | – | – | Star Alliance | – | |
| OO SkyWest Airlines | 1 | – | – | – | – | |
| TWY TWY | 1 | – | 0h53 | – | – | |
| AC Air Canada | 0 | – | – | Star Alliance | – | |
| MX Breeze Airways | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Los Angeles from San Francisco
| Metric | SFO→LAX | SQL→LAX | OAK→LAX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SFO | – | 10 mi | 11 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 12 | 1 | 18 |
| Weekly flights | 987 | – | 42 |
| Flight time | 1h 35m | 1h 28m | 0h 53m |
| Departure OTP | 100% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · LAX: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 6:00 PM in Los Angeles.
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.
LAX has no direct rail link to downtown. The closest option is the free LAX Shuttle G to the Metro C Line station at Aviation/Century Blvd (fare $1.75 to Union Station, 40–50 min). Taxis use a meter; expect $35–55 to downtown and $30–45 to Santa Monica. Ride-shares cost $20–45 depending on destination and surge pricing.Rental car facilities are a short shuttle ride from terminals. FlyAway buses run to Union Station, Van Nuys, Hollywood, and Westwood ($9.75–11.25). For LAX Connect (the new people mover to Inglewood), check if it has opened at time of travel.
Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm and dry (24–30°C) with low humidity and almost no rain. Winters are mild (10–18°C) with occasional rain from November through March. Fog ("June Gloom") is common from late May through July, blanketing mornings until noon and causing departure delays.
Santa Ana winds occur in fall and spring, sometimes grounding departures briefly. Heat waves in September–October can push temperatures above 38°C inland, though LAX itself stays cooler near the coast.
SFO–LAX Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco to Los Angeles: California's Air Shuttle
SFO–LAX is one of the most competitive domestic US routes by carrier count, with 13 airlines offering scheduled service. The mix spans legacy carriers (United, American, Delta), low-cost carriers (Southwest, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier), and ultra-low-cost entrants. Flight time is 55–65 minutes. Departures run every 15–30 minutes during peak hours, effectively making it an air shuttle.
LAX as a Connection Hub
For travelers arriving in the Bay Area internationally and continuing to LAX, or vice versa, SFO–LAX fills the domestic segment of intercontinental itineraries. LAX is undergoing a multi-year expansion including the Automated People Mover (APM) linking terminals to the Metro system, which is gradually reducing the airport's historically poor ground access reputation.