Flights from New York City to San Francisco, CA

Flights from New York to San Francisco 

Birthplace of the Beats and a romantic metropolis, with the Golden Gate Bridge often shrouded in Pacific mists and steep streets immortalized in countless movies, San Francisco is one of the most beloved cities in the USA.  It is a must-see for any visitor to northern California, and a favorite west coast destination for New Yorkers who have left a little of their heart there. Travelers looking to book a flight from New York to San Francisco have plentiful options to choose from, with direct connections provided by four airlines seven days a week, operating from three New York airports. Frequent flights take off from early morning to mid-evening with coast to coast journey times averaging around six hours and 30 minutes. There is usually a direct departure to suit most requirements, but there are also several daily indirect connections to San Francisco, with one layover in transit, routed through major Midwest hubs.

Which airlines travel from New York to San Francisco?

Four American airlines offer direct flights from New York airports to San Francisco. Alaska Airlines provides daily direct flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. United Airlines flies direct to San Francisco from Newark and LaGuardia airports. American Airlines and Delta Airlines both offer daily direct flights to the Californian city from JFK Airport. Given the frequency of direct flights, indirect connections are rarely required but routes with one change in transit include American Airlines flights via Chicago O'Hare International Airport, or Southwest Airlines services via Denver.

How long is the flight from New York to San Francisco?

Some United Airlines departures from Newark Airport provide the fastest flight from New York to San Francisco, taking six hours and ten minutes to complete the 2572 mile (4139 kilometer) trip to California. The quickest journeys from JFK Airport are some Delta Airlines flights taking six hours and 36 minutes to reach San Francisco. The slowest direct connection is the United Airlines service from LaGuardia Airport taking eight hours. The quickest indirect service is the American Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco, departing from Newark Airport via Chicago, taking eight hours and 52 minutes total journey time. Other indirect connections can take more than ten hours to reach San Francisco, depending on the route and time spent in transit between connections.

How many flights are there from New York to San Francisco?

There are over 30 daily direct flights from New York to San Francisco, seven days a week, with each of four airlines offering several daily services. Schedules begin early in the morning, with at least two departures every hour for most of the day, until the final departure from New York leaves in mid-evening for a landing in San Francisco just after midnight. There are also around ten daily same-day indirect flights west to San Francisco with one change required en route. For timetable clarity it should be noted that New York time is three hours ahead of San Francisco time.

What are the departure and arrival airports for flights from New York to San Francisco?

Departure Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport is located in Queens, 14 miles, (20 kilometers) southeast of downtown Manhattan, with public transit transfers available on New York subway services to Jamaica or Howard Beach stations, linking with AirTrain shuttles to the terminal, taking 45-60 minutes. LaGuardia Airport is also situated in Queens,  eight miles (13 kilometers) east of Manhattan, with MTA bus services taking around 45 minutes to reach the terminal. Newark Liberty International Airport is situated in New Jersey, around nine miles (15 kilometers) southwest of downtown New York, with frequent rail connections on Amtrak and NJ Transit services, taking 30 minutes to reach the airport station from the city. All airports have long and short stay parking lots, ATMs, business lounges and free WiFi. Food courts feature burger bars, international restaurants, pizzerias and coffee shops. Shopping malls offer fashion boutiques, designer accessory outlets, gourmet food and wine stores, and newsstands.

Arrival Airport: San Francisco International Airport is located 13 miles (22 kilometers) south of the city center, with public transportation transfers available on local BART rail services and SamTrans buses taking 15-30 minutes for the trip downtown. Facilities at the passenger terminal include car rental agencies, luggage storage, ATMs, business lounges, a medical clinic and free WiFi.  Dining options include an organic diner, pizzeria, taco house, Vietnamese pho stall, a bakery,  pub and coffee shops. The shopping mall offers sports apparel stores, newsstands, cosmetics shops, jewelers, gadget stores and designer brand fashion boutiques.