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MAD to SFO: distance & flight time
Madrid (Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport) → San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport)
5,799 mi
9,332 km · 5,039 nm
11h 50m
estimated nonstop flight time
-9h
time difference · heading northwest
See live MAD→SFO fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
5,799 miles nonstop takes roughly 11h 50m gate to gate, flying northwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 9-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- MAD — Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport · Madrid, Spain
- SFO — San Francisco International Airport · San Francisco, 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 MAD
- TOJ · Torrejón Airport6 mi away
- ECV · Cuatro Vientos Airport14 mi away
- SLM · Salamanca Airport107 mi away
- VLL · Valladolid Airport109 mi away
Near SFO
- SQL · San Carlos Airport10 mi away
- HAF · Half Moon Bay Airport10 mi away
- OAK · Metropolitan Oakland International Airport11 mi away
- NGZ · Alameda Naval Air Station12 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is MAD from SFO?
The flight distance from Madrid (MAD) to San Francisco (SFO) is 5,799 miles (9,332 km, 5,039 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from MAD to SFO?
A nonstop flight takes about 11h 50m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Madrid and San Francisco?
San Francisco is 9 hours behind Madrid.
What is the cheapest way to fly from MAD to SFO?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on MAD–SFO that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.