SFO → DCASan Francisco to Washington

live

Direct flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Washington (DCA): 14 nonstop departures observed each week across 2 airlines. 100% of the last 6 operated flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. The median arrival is 3 minutes early. No cancellations were recorded across the 6 tracked flights. The nonstop covers 3,921 km, an estimated 5 hours 32 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at San Francisco and Washington. Updated 13 September 2026 at 14:12 UTC.

SFO San Francisco smooth · +0
DCA Washington smooth · +0
3,921 km · ~5h 32m est.
dep bank 08:20–14:0714x weekly
Runs reliable · 2 airlines · 14x weekly · nonstop
100% on time

of the last 6 operated SFO → DCA flights arrived within 15 minutes

Median arrival delay is −3 min. 0 of 6 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival−3 minacross the last 6 operated legs
Flight time~5h 32mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures14x2 direct airlines on the leg

The week

scheduled departures · origin local time
06121824
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Alaska AirlinesUnited Airlines

Each mark is a scheduled departure at its origin-local time, observed operating in the last 7 days. Today is highlighted.

Who flies it

observed on the boards · 7 days
Alaska AirlinesAS

Flights AS8 09:39 daily

United AirlinesUA

Flights UA1678 08:20 daily · UA2386 14:07 daily

History

operated legs · board outcomes
09-12AS8dep +1 → arr−26
09-12FJ5804departed+1
09-12NZ2771departed−3
09-12NZ2777departed−6
09-12UA1678arrived−28
09-12UA2386arrived+2

Actual board outcomes rather than schedules, paired departure and arrival per flight and day.

Full board history, day by day →

Airports right now

live boards
SFOSan Francisco +0 min smooth ⛅ mostly cloudy · WNW 15 kt Full SFO delay board →
DCAWashington +0 min smooth ⛅ mostly cloudy · 5 kt Full DCA delay board →

Weather lens

Current conditions put the pressure at SFO: 60% odds of a 15+ minute delay and around +23 min expected when it bites, measured from this route's own weather-matched delay history. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the San Francisco to Washington route actually runs

Pro Flight Search records official board updates for nonstop SFO to DCA flights through the day: schedules, estimates, gate pushes and actual departures. The verdict above comes from operated flights, so it reflects what this route does rather than what the timetable promises.

Planning around a delay? Live airport delays · Weather delay risk map · Will a delayed flight be cancelled? · Do planes make up time in the air? · How we measure

Cite this data

Journalists, bloggers, and researchers may cite this page with attribution and a link to Pro Flight Search.

Suggested citation

Pro Flight Search — San Francisco (SFO) to Washington (DCA) route reliability, measured from operated flights on official airport boards.

Canonical URL
https://proflightsearch.com/search-flights/SFO-DCA
How we measure this →

SFO to DCA questions

Is SFO–DCA running on time right now?

Some delays possible. Both endpoints currently score the same, route health score 57/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on SFO–DCA?

Operators schedule morning departures around 08:20 from SFO. Earlier flights typically land before destination-airport delays accumulate later in the day; check the DCA delay card to confirm conditions when you'd arrive.

How long is the flight from SFO to DCA?

Great-circle distance is 3,921 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 307–366 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does SFO–DCA fly?

2 carriers operate this route, around 21 flights a week between them. Compare carrier days and times in the airline list above.