In the early 80s, I was on a PA 74L going form SFO to LAX. I have to see if I can find my spreadsheet that I used to keep and if it went all the way back. I used to use the stopwatch to time the flights. I remember the fare was $39 and somehow we got upgraded to C (no status).

On the subject of short flights, a few years ago I did ORD-GRR (I think 23 minutes). FA said OK to use electronic devices. Person in front of me got her computer out, booted it up and FA said it is time to prepare for landing :D

Towards the end of Pan Am, I remember flying their A300(or was it A310) between SFO and LAX. I could swear the published flight time was just one hour plus a few minutes.

Pan Am had some crazy fares back then. I used to fly between DC(DCA) and NY(LGA) for $29 each way and I did that 5 times a week.

I don't do SFO-LAX much, but I did do SJC-SNA a lot and that's roughly equivalent in distance. I do remember fastest times were around the upper 40s.

Two years ago on a 787-8 going SFO-LAX, I don't remember the exact time but it was definitely the fastest I have ever made it down to LA from SFO.

I'm right with you, I'm as much of a 747 fan as anyone... just thought that was an interesting detail given that we rarely have insight on such things.

oh man. I don't remember the actual time but anecdotally - 777-200 SFO-LAX took off 1L, and because of winds, etc. landed on the 6s in LAX. that was definitely the shortest - was probably 40-45 minutes but really did feel like 35-40

A Winair flight from Saba (the world's smallest international airport) to St. Martaan. It is a 15 minute flight.

I forget the exact timing but we were due to take off at about 8.30 am and land at 8.45 am. However, everyone was on the plane early so we took off at about 8.10 and landed 5 minutes before we were scheduled to take off.

St. Maarten to Anguilla (TQPF / AXA) is 10.3nm's and takes about 6 minutes. Depart runway 10 at St. Maarten, take a left, and you're on a long base leg to runway 10 at Anguilla. I think it's an extra minute from Anguilla to St. Maarten because you have to do a whole 180˚ turn onto what's basically an extended wide downwind for St. Maarten.

General Aviation in a Citation525 CJ4. Two execs had to be picked up at their "own" airports. We took off with a mild north wind from David Wayne Hook airport and 10(!) minutes later landed at Conroe North Houston regional. We really didn't get very high and then had to pick up somebody in Austin and headed to LA.

Not SFO LAX but I thought I'd throw in my "shortest flight"

St. Maarten is my 2nd favourite airport in the world. (after Shannon airport)

But boy oh boy... I'm new here, but is there one Flyertalk thread that doesn't end up talking about something else totally? :D :D :D Seems like almost every thread I've read usually end up off-topic. :) (especially in the British Airways section)

Given nominal traffic departures, arrivals and flow controls, LAX-SFO is probably the quickest of the two routes since you depart out over the Pacific from LAX, head north and then fly into SFO directly into 28L. Departures out of SFO require heading north, turning out over the city and ocean, heading south and then making one 90 degree south to east heading check before making a 180 into 24L. This would be wheels up to wheels down.

Also, in terms of times of day, probably the first LAX-SFO flight has the greatest likelihood of shortest wheels up to wheels down. Having taken it a few times, if there's no weather or delay issues on either end, I've done it in 50 minutes.

If you wanted to think gate-to-gate, United is a bit hampered at LAX since all of its landings from SFO then have to navigate around the west side of the airport to get to their gates in Terminals 7 and 8. If you're lucky, some of the United LAX-SFO flights will leave LAX on 25R but that doesn't happen often.

David

Thanks! Very interesting, I never thought of it that way.

LAX can't be as bad as EWR. I sat on the taxiway for almost 70 minutes a few weeks ago. There was a long line of planes ahead, all waiting to take off from the stupid busy chaotic EWR. :(

744 off of SFO 1L
 

when do you ever see a 744 depart SFO on the 1's?! Must have been totally empty!

<20 minutes

TPA to SRQ about 1985 or so....

My sister and I were the only customers on the plane.

I think we flew from ISP (Islip, NY) to SRQ with a stop in TPA.

I too don't understand why people keep posting about flights other than LAX-SFO/SFO-LAX. The title of the thread is very clear and specific. Also, its not like the posters are in the single or 10s of posts...focus people!

David