Track New York to San Francisco Flights
Get SMS alerts for JFK/EWR-SFO transcontinental flights.
Track This RouteOutbound
6 hours
Return
5 hours 15 minutes
Daily Flights
15+
Airlines
5
Timezone note
San Francisco is 3 hours behind New York (Pacific vs Eastern Time).
About this route
New York to San Francisco flights
New York to San Francisco westbound is the longer leg of this transcontinental route, fighting against the jet stream for close to 6 hours of flight time. The 3-hour timezone gain heading west is one of the largest on any domestic route — a noon Eastern departure doesn't land until around 3pm Pacific, which still leaves enough of the California afternoon to be productive.
This route is a battleground for premium cabin products. JetBlue's Mint lie-flat seats on JFK-SFO disrupted the market when launched, forcing legacy carriers to upgrade their own transcontinental offerings. United's Polaris-equipped widebodies occasionally appear on the Newark-SFO route, and Delta has invested heavily in Delta One suites on its JFK service. The competition benefits travelers with better seats and lower premium fares than on many shorter routes.
SFO arrivals face the fog factor — San Francisco's famous marine layer can force instrument approaches and reduce landing rates, creating holding patterns and diversions during peak fog season (June through August). Landing alerts cut through the uncertainty, letting family and colleagues on Pacific Time know exactly when to expect the traveler instead of relying on optimistic scheduled times.
How it works
Track New York to San Francisco.
Enter the flight number
Type the flight number for New York to San Francisco.
Add your phone number
Enter the mobile number where you want to receive the alert.
Get a text when they land
We track the flight and text you when they touch down in San Francisco.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
How long is the New York to San Francisco flight?
About 6 hours westbound against the jet stream. The eastbound return is faster at around 5 hours 15 minutes.
Why is the westbound flight longer?
Prevailing jet stream winds blow west to east, so westbound flights face headwinds that add roughly 45 minutes compared to the return.
What's the time difference?
San Francisco is 3 hours behind New York. A noon departure from JFK arrives around 3pm Pacific.
Know when they land in San Francisco
Avoid waiting at arrivals. Get a text the moment their New York to San Francisco flight touches down.
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Founder, SkyText
Aviation lover who built SkyText because families deserve to know when someone lands safely. Has tracked more flights than he'd like to admit.