The hijackers chose planes headed towards California primarily because these were transcontinental flights with full fuel tanks, maximizing the potential destruction upon impact. The flights they selected were non-stop, coast-to- coast routes, which provided the greatest amount of fuel for their deadly mission, enabling them to reach key symbolic targets on the East Coast such as the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Additionally, some hijackers entered the U.S. via California, using it as a convenient point of entry far from their intended targets, which helped them avoid early suspicion and facilitated preparation for the attacks. The coordinated timing of the flights, all departing roughly around the same time for maximum surprise and impact, was also a factor in the selection of these specific flights headed to California.
