New York to San Francisco flights
about 63 flights a week across 35 operators, most often on the Boeing 737 (all variants). Below: the aircraft mix, and what the safety record and the turbulence model say for this route.
Route FAQ
How long does the flight from New York to San Francisco take?
Flight time from New York (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO) depends on routing, aircraft type, and whether the flight is direct or connecting. A direct flight typically reflects great-circle distance plus winds, while one-stop options can add several hours depending on the layover airport. The typical block time and frequency we have observed for this route are shown above.
Which airlines fly from New York to San Francisco?
Airline availability for JFK to SFO changes by season and sometimes week to week as carriers adjust capacity. The airlines and aircraft types observed operating this route, both direct and connecting, are listed below based on real flight-tracking data.
Are there direct flights from New York to San Francisco?
Direct (nonstop) availability on JFK to SFO varies by date, day of week, and season. Busy city pairs usually have multiple daily nonstops, while thinner routes may only have direct service a few days per week or only during peak seasons.
No fatal or serious occurrence recorded and attributed to operators on this pair in the last 90 days.
- Delta Air Lines5-yr attributed events: 53Last 90 days: none recorded
- Alaska Airlines5-yr attributed events: 7Last 90 days: none recorded
- United Airlines5-yr attributed events: 58Last 90 days: none recorded
- JetBlue Airways5-yr attributed events: 13Last 90 days: none recorded
- American Airlines5-yr attributed events: 27Last 90 days: none recorded
| Carrier | Sightings / 90d | Safety events |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 8 sightings | No recorded events |
| Alaska Airlines | 3 sightings | No recorded events |
| United Airlines | 2 sightings | No recorded events |
| JetBlue Airways | 2 sightings | No recorded events |
| American Airlines | 2 sightings | No recorded events |
Flight patterns on JFK → SFO
We observed 811 flights on this route over the last 90 days (about 63.1 per week) across 35 airlines.
Departures cluster around 20:00–21:00 UTC, 01:00–02:00 UTC, 10:00–11:00 UTC, busiest on Monday and Sunday.
On-time performance: 39.1% of departures left within 15 minutes of schedule (average delay 55.3 min, based on 312 timed flights).
Historically, 76.6% of flights on JFK → SFO arrived within 15 minutes of schedule (average arrival delay 2.5 min; 1.6% cancelled), across 175,289 flights from 1987–2025. Source: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
In 2025, 1,888,413 passengers flew between JFK and SFO (both directions) on 13,221 flights, led by DL. Source: U.S. DOT BTS T-100. US air traffic.
Carrier on-time performance (last 12 months)
| Carrier | On-time % | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 76.7% | 17.7 min | 4,384 |
| JetBlue Airways | 80% | 16.7 min | 3,801 |
| American Airlines | 79.2% | 20 min | 2,749 |
| Alaska Airlines | 72.7% | 18.9 min | 2,164 |
On-time = arrival within 15 minutes of schedule, per U.S. DOT definitions. Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (public domain). Delay-cause attribution is reported by carriers since June 2003.
Planning JFK → SFO
JFK to SFO is a long-haul route of 4,152 km (2,580 mi). See the return SFO → JFK route.
Alternative airports near New York: New York (LGA) — 17 km, New York (JRB) — 21 km, New York (JRA) — 23 km.
Alternative airports near San Francisco: San Carlos (SQL) — 16 km, Half Moon Bay (HAF) — 16 km, Oakland (OAK) — 18 km.