San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
KSFOCurrent Weather
Cloud Forecast
About San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco's famous fog causes low-visibility delays but not turbulence. Strong onshore winds can make afternoon approaches bumpy.
Is San Francisco Airport turbulent?
SFO is notorious for fog delays rather than turbulence. The famous marine layer rolls in from the Pacific, reducing visibility and cutting landing capacity in half. SFO consistently ranks among America's most delayed airports because runway spacing from the 1940s cannot handle modern traffic volumes when fog forces single-runway operations.
- SFO was 3rd most-delayed US airport in 2018 with 26% of arrivals delayed
- Fog can cut landing capacity from 60 to 30 planes per hour
- Runways built in 1940s are too close for simultaneous fog landings
Why does fog affect SFO so badly?
When visibility drops, aircraft cannot land side-by-side on SFO's closely-spaced runways. Capacity immediately halves. The FAA holds departures at origin airports rather than circling planes over the Bay. A persistent high-pressure ridge often traps fog in place for days. Morning fog typically lifts by midday, but delays cascade through the entire day.
When is the smoothest time to fly from SFO?
September and October typically offer the clearest conditions. Summer fog (June Gloom) is heaviest from June through August. Winter storms occasionally cause delays but are less persistent than fog. Afternoon flights are generally more reliable than morning departures during fog season.
Upcoming Flights (next 2 hours) 67
| Flight | Destination | Departure | Aircraft | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AS656
Alaska Airlines |
SEA | 08:42 Local | boeing 737-890 | Forecast |
WN4292
Southwest Airlines |
SAN | 08:50 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
UA1212
United Airlines |
PVR | 08:51 Local | boeing 737-824 | Forecast |
F92678
Frontier (Lone Star The Longhorn Steer Livery) |
ONT | 08:53 Local | airbus a320-251n | Forecast |
DL1421
Delta Air Lines |
LAX | 08:55 Local | boeing 737-832 | Forecast |
UA1679
United Airlines |
CUN | 08:59 Local | boeing 737 max 9 | Forecast |
UA487
United Airlines |
OGG | 09:00 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
UA1370
United Airlines |
TPA | 09:00 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
AS30
Alaska Airlines |
JFK | 09:00 Local | boeing 737 max 9 | Forecast |
AS1481
Alaska Airlines |
PDX | 09:00 Local | boeing 737-990(er) | Forecast |
|
1I193
Netjets Aviation |
PHX | 09:00 Local | -- | Forecast |
UA1111
United Airlines |
LIH | 09:00 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
AS20
Alaska Airlines |
JFK | 09:00 Local | boeing 737-990(er) | Forecast |
AS1344
Alaska Airlines |
SJD | 09:02 Local | boeing 737-890 | Forecast |
AS476
Alaska Airlines |
ZIH | 09:02 Local | boeing 737-890 | Forecast |
UA1721
United Airlines |
KOA | 09:05 Local | boeing 757-324 | Forecast |
UA573
United Airlines |
OGG | 09:05 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
AS1417
Alaska Airlines |
LTO | 09:06 Local | boeing 737-990(er) | Forecast |
UA2664
United Airlines |
BWI | 09:09 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
UA2128
United Airlines |
TPA | 09:10 Local | boeing 737-924(er) | Forecast |
UA562
United Airlines |
BZN | 09:10 Local | airbus a320-232 | Forecast |
AS3450
Alaska Airlines |
SNA | 09:13 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
AA1146
American Airlines |
CLT | 09:14 Local | airbus a321-231 | Forecast |
AS8
Alaska Airlines |
DCA | 09:20 Local | boeing 737-890 | Forecast |
UA1439
United Airlines |
IAH | 09:20 Local | boeing 737 max 9 | Forecast |
OO5220
Skywest Airlines |
SMF | 09:20 Local | mitsubishi crj-200lr | Forecast |
AS3333
Alaska Skywest |
BUR | 09:21 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA5681
United Express |
SBP | 09:22 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA1776
United Airlines |
PSP | 09:25 Local | -- | Forecast |
WN2554
Southwest Airlines |
LAS | 09:25 Local | boeing 737-7h4 | Forecast |
UA6028
United Express |
ASE | 09:25 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA6014
United Express |
GEG | 09:25 Local | embraer e175ll | Forecast |
UA702
United Airlines |
ATL | 09:25 Local | boeing 737-824 | Forecast |
UA5751
United Express |
SUN | 09:25 Local | embraer e175ll | Forecast |
UA5560
United Express |
TUS | 09:25 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA5729
United Express |
MSO | 09:28 Local | embraer e175ll | Forecast |
UA5704
United Express |
MFR | 09:30 Local | embraer e175ll | Forecast |
WN310
Southwest Airlines |
DEN | 09:30 Local | boeing 737-7h4 | Forecast |
UA5491
United Express |
PSC | 09:30 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA1175
United Airlines |
HNL | 09:30 Local | boeing 777-322(er) | Forecast |
AS3490
Alaska Skywest |
SAN | 09:31 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
AS2218
Alaska Horizon |
PAE | 09:53 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA1273
United Airlines |
BNA | 09:57 Local | boeing 737-824 | Forecast |
UA5482
United Airlines |
ABQ | 10:00 Local | -- | Forecast |
AA1949
American Airlines |
DFW | 10:03 Local | airbus a321-231 | Forecast |
WN2653
Southwest Airlines (Triple Crown Livery) |
PHX | 10:10 Local | boeing 737-8h4 | Forecast |
WN3846
Southwest Airlines |
LAS | 10:10 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
AS3351
Alaska Skywest |
PSP | 10:13 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA875
United Airlines |
HND | 10:15 Local | boeing 777-224(er) | Forecast |
F81847
Flair Airlines |
YVR | 10:15 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
DL976
Delta Air Lines |
SEA | 10:20 Local | airbus a220-100 | Forecast |
AA6262
American Eagle |
LAX | 10:25 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA5479
United Express |
MRY | 10:29 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA4708
United Express |
ACV | 10:30 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA893
United Airlines |
ICN | 10:30 Local | boeing 787-9 dreamliner | Forecast |
UA790
United Airlines |
EUG | 10:35 Local | boeing 737-824 | Forecast |
UA5447
United Express |
HDN | 10:35 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
UA2153
United Airlines |
RDM | 10:35 Local | boeing 737-824 | Forecast |
UA713
United Airlines |
EWR | 10:35 Local | boeing 787-9 dreamliner | Forecast |
WN4433
Southwest Airlines |
SAN | 10:35 Local | boeing 737-7h4 | Forecast |
AA16
American Airlines |
JFK | 10:35 Local | airbus a321-231 | Forecast |
UA6001
United Express |
MTY | 10:35 Local | embraer e175lr | Forecast |
AA711
American Airlines |
ORD | 10:36 Local | boeing 737-823 | Forecast |
UA5293
United Express |
MCI | 10:38 Local | embraer e175ll | Forecast |
UA2363
United Airlines |
PDX | 10:40 Local | boeing 737-924(er) | Forecast |
SQ31
Singapore Airlines |
SIN | 10:40 Local | airbus a350-941 | Forecast |
UA643
United Airlines |
SNA | 10:40 Local | boeing 737 max 8 | Forecast |
AS656
WN4292
UA1212
F92678
DL1421
UA1679
UA487
UA1370
AS30
AS1481
UA1111
AS20
AS1344
AS476
UA1721
UA573
AS1417
UA2664
UA2128
UA562
AS3450
AA1146
AS8
UA1439
OO5220
AS3333
UA5681
UA1776
WN2554
UA6028
UA6014
UA702
UA5751
UA5560
UA5729
UA5704
WN310
UA5491
UA1175
AS3490
AS2218
UA1273
UA5482
AA1949
WN2653
WN3846
AS3351
UA875
F81847
DL976
AA6262
UA5479
UA4708
UA893
UA790
UA5447
UA2153
UA713
WN4433
AA16
UA6001
AA711
UA5293
UA2363
SQ31
UA643