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SFO to PAO: distance & flight time
San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport) → Palo Alto (Palo Alto Airport of Santa Clara County)
18 mi
29 km · 16 nm
31m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading southeast
See live SFO→PAO fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
18 miles nonstop takes roughly 31m gate to gate, flying southeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Both airports share the same local time, so schedules read exactly as flown.
The two airports
- SFO — San Francisco International Airport · San Francisco, 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 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
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 SFO from PAO?
The flight distance from San Francisco (SFO) to Palo Alto (PAO) is 18 miles (29 km, 16 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SFO to PAO?
A nonstop flight takes about 31m 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 cheapest way to fly from SFO to PAO?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SFO–PAO that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.