Flight Distance: San Francisco (SFO) to New York (JFK)

SFO to JFK: The Classic Transcontinental Route

The great-circle distance between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is:

Flight Details

• Flight Time: 5h 15m–5h 45m eastbound; 6h–6h 30m westbound
• Time Zones: PDT/PST → EDT/EST (3-hour difference)
• Frequency: 20+ daily nonstops (pre-pandemic); major route for United, American, Delta, JetBlue, Alaska
• Aircraft: 757, A321neo, 737 MAX, 767, A330 (varies by carrier)

Alternative NYC Airports from SFO

Bay Area Alternatives

• Oakland (OAK): 2,555 mi to JFK – Southwest, JetBlue
• San Jose (SJC): 2,565 mi to JFK – limited transcon service

Great-Circle Route

The optimal path arcs north over Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, New York – following the curvature of the Earth. Actual routes vary daily with jet stream positioning.

Distance calculated via WGS84 ellipsoid model. Actual flown distance typically 2,580–2,620 miles due to airways, weather, traffic.