Cheap Flights to San Francisco

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO) is one of the busiest domestic air corridors in the world. Flight time is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. United, American, Delta, Southwest, Alaska, Spirit, and Frontier all operate frequent nonstop service. Fares can start as low as $39–$59 one-way on budget carriers when booked in advance. Cheap flights to San Francisco from LA are available year-round due to the high volume of service on this route.

Washington D.C. has two main airports serving San Francisco. From Dulles International (IAD), United Airlines operates nonstop flights to SFO with a flight time of approximately 5 hours 30 minutes. From Reagan National (DCA), American Airlines offers nonstop service. Economy fares from DC to San Francisco typically range from $150–$320 round trip when booked 3–5 weeks in advance.

Nonstop flights from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to San Francisco (SFO) take approximately 5 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 45 minutes. American Airlines operates the most frequent nonstop service on this route. United and Delta also offer service. Economy fares from Philadelphia to San Francisco typically start from $150–$250 one-way when booked 3–5 weeks ahead.

Delta Air Lines operates nonstop flights to San Francisco (SFO) from Atlanta (ATL), New York JFK, Boston (BOS), Minneapolis (MSP), Detroit (DTW), and Seattle (SEA), among other cities. Delta is a strong choice on transatlantic connections via its partnership with Air France and KLM. Delta SkyMiles members can often find exclusive sale fares to SFO through the Delta app and email alerts.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) receives direct nonstop flights from over 100 domestic and international cities. Key domestic cities with direct service include Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Denver, Boston, Miami, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. International cities with nonstop flights to San Francisco include London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris, Frankfurt, Toronto, Vancouver, Seoul, Sydney, and many more. SFO is one of the best-connected West Coast gateways for international flights to San Francisco.

For short distances (under 400 miles), driving can be cost-competitive with flying once you factor in baggage fees, airport transfers, and the time spent at the airport. For example, driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco is approximately 380 miles (6–8 hours by car), while flights to San Francisco from San Diego (130 miles away) can be as cheap as $39–$59 one-way — making flying the faster and often cheaper option from Southern California. From cities like Sacramento (90 miles) or Fresno (185 miles), driving is almost always cheaper. For distances over 500 miles, flying is typically both faster and cost-effective, especially when booking cheap flights to San Francisco California in advance on budget carriers.

San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Francisco (SFO) is served by United, American, Delta, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines. Flight time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. Fares can start as low as $39 one-way on budget carriers when booked well in advance. This route operates frequently throughout the day with multiple daily departures.