Flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco
Goodtern scores every Los Angeles–San Francisco itinerary 0–100 against what you actually care about — price, time, stops, comfort, carbon — and shows the receipts for why #1 is #1.
Distance
544 km (338 mi)
Estimated non-stop time
~1h 18m
Usually cheapest
3–9 weeks before you fly
Route type
Short-haul
Distance is great-circle; flight time is a physics-based estimate, not a schedule. Booking guidance reflects typical fare patterns, not a price promise.
When to book
On short-haul routes like Los Angeles to San Francisco, fares typically bottom out 3–9 weeks before you fly, climb steeply in the final fortnight, and peak-season dates (summer holidays, Christmas and New Year, Easter) both cost more and sell out earlier. Goodtern's best-time-to-buy signal tracks this curve against your own search history and flags the moment a fare looks like a genuine deal.
Airports on this route
Los AngelesUnited States
- Los Angeles (LAX)
San FranciscoUnited States
- San Francisco (SFO)
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
Non-stop, expect roughly 1h 18m in the air — an estimate based on the 544 km distance, not a schedule. Connecting itineraries take longer.
How far is San Francisco from Los Angeles?
About 544 km (338 miles) by great-circle distance — a short-haul route.
When is the cheapest time to book flights from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
For short-haul routes like this one, fares are typically at their lowest 3–9 weeks before you fly. That's a pattern, not a guarantee — peak dates (summer, Christmas) sell out earlier.
Which airports can I use for this route?
Served by Los Angeles (LAX). Served by San Francisco (SFO). Goodtern's nearby-airport search compares all of them automatically.