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SFO to TVL: distance & flight time
San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport) → South Lake Tahoe (Lake Tahoe Airport)
156 mi
252 km · 136 nm
53m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading northeast
See live SFO→TVL fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
156 miles nonstop takes roughly 53m gate to gate, flying northeast. 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
- TVL — Lake Tahoe Airport · South Lake Tahoe, 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 TVL
- TKF · Truckee Tahoe Airport30 mi away
- RNO · Reno Tahoe International Airport44 mi away
- MHR · Sacramento Mather Airport74 mi away
- MCC · Mc Clellan Airfield77 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is SFO from TVL?
The flight distance from San Francisco (SFO) to South Lake Tahoe (TVL) is 156 miles (252 km, 136 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SFO to TVL?
A nonstop flight takes about 53m 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 TVL?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SFO–TVL that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.