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BWI to PAO: distance & flight time
Baltimore (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) → Palo Alto (Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County)
2,441 mi
3,928 km · 2,121 nm
5h 15m
estimated nonstop flight time
-3h
time difference · heading west
See live BWI→PAO fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
2,441 miles nonstop takes roughly 5h 15m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 3-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport · Baltimore, United States
- PAO — Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County · Palo Alto, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near BWI
- DCA · Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport30 mi away
- IAD · Washington Dulles International Airport45 mi away
- FME · Tipton Airport8 mi away
- ANP · Lee Airport17 mi away
Near PAO
- SFO · San Francisco International Airport18 mi away
- NUQ · Moffett Federal Airfield5 mi away
- SQL · San Carlos Airport8 mi away
- SJC · Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport12 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is BWI from PAO?
The flight distance from Baltimore (BWI) to Palo Alto (PAO) is 2,441 miles (3,928 km, 2,121 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from BWI to PAO?
A nonstop flight takes about 5h 15m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from BWI to PAO?
Nonstop service on BWI–PAO depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 5h 15m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Baltimore and Palo Alto?
Palo Alto is 3 hours behind Baltimore.
What is the cheapest way to fly from BWI to PAO?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on BWI–PAO that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some BWI to PAO fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain BWI–PAO tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.