SFO - RIO

$334 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro departing on 10/14. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Rio de Janeiro

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro (SFO-RIO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

Wed, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 18
 Logo
8:30 am - 7:40 pmSFO-GIG
31h 10m2 stops
 Logo
11:20 am - 11:11 amGIG-SFO
27h 51m2 stops
Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Air Canada Logo
4:15 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
38h 50m1 stop
Air Canada Logo
9:00 pm - 3:35 pmGIG-SFO
23h 35m2 stops
$644Air Canada
Find Deal
Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Air Canada Logo
7:13 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
35h 52m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
9:00 pm - 3:35 pmGIG-SFO
23h 35m2 stops
$647Air Canada
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 17 - Thu, Oct 2
Air Canada Logo
11:40 am - 1:55 pmSFO-GIG
22h 15m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
3:55 pm - 7:51 pmGIG-SFO
31h 56m2 stops
$648Air Canada
Find Deal
Mon, Feb 2 - Sun, Feb 15
Air Canada Logo
4:15 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
38h 50m1 stop
Air Canada Logo
9:00 pm - 9:22 pmGIG-SFO
29h 22m2 stops
$649Air Canada
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 7 - Wed, Sep 24
Avianca Logo
12:05 am - 6:20 amSFO-GIG
26h 15m2 stops
Avianca Logo
7:25 am - 10:45 pmGIG-SFO
19h 20m2 stops
$686Avianca
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 1 - Tue, Oct 7
Avianca Logo
2:20 pm - 6:20 amSFO-GIG
36h 00m2 stops
Avianca Logo
1:30 am - 10:45 pmGIG-SFO
25h 15m2 stops
$695Avianca
Find Deal
Mon, Oct 20 - Sun, Oct 26
LATAM Airlines Logo
3:00 pm - 10:15 amSFO-GIG
15h 15m1 stop
LATAM Airlines Logo
5:05 pm - 6:46 pmGIG-SFO
29h 41m2 stops
$776LATAM Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 14 - Sat, Oct 4
Delta Logo
9:51 pm - 9:35 amSFO-SDU
31h 44m2 stops
Delta Logo
8:20 pm - 8:28 pmSDU-SFO
28h 08m2 stops
$1,247Delta
Find Deal
Sun, Nov 23 - Sun, Dec 7
United Airlines Logo
12:43 am - 2:20 pmSFO-SDU
32h 37m3 stops
United Airlines Logo
2:55 pm - 5:46 pmSDU-SFO
31h 51m2 stops
$1,277United Airlines
Find Deal
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

Find cheap flights to Rio de Janeiro
Find cheap flights to Rio de Janeiro

Planning a trip from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro? KAYAK’s data-powered insights will help you find cheap flights. Learn the best time to fly, how early to book your ticket, and other tips to secure great prices.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Rio de Janeiro on a Monday and more expensive on a Friday. On your return trip to San Francisco, you should consider flying back on a Thursday, and avoid Fridays for better deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro is October, where tickets cost $825 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,405 and $1,137 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 2 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonMay
Cheapest flight$334
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 10% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 35% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro-Galeao Airport

When to book flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

  • Which airlines from San Francisco to Rio De Janeiro offer environmentally sustainable flights?

    Flight passengers to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco release about 5416 lbs of CO₂ each. Consider flying one of the eco-friendly airlines, including Avianca, Copa Airlines, LATAM Airlines, and United Airlines. Avianca Airlines has the most sustainable flights on the route with carbon emissions less by 37%. The airline uses fuel-efficient planes and sustainable fuels to ensure lower carbon emissions.

  • Which airlines flying to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco offer single layover travel?

    There are no nonstop flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro; therefore, consider booking a flight with your preferred layover options when traveling the route. The city you have a stopover in is determined mainly by your airline. If you want a stopover flying from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, consider flying American, Copa, GOL, Lufthansa, and United Airlines, offering single-stop flights. The airlines mostly have single layovers in Munich, Panama, Houston, and Miami.

  • Which airline should I fly to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco with a pet?

    If you are traveling to Rio de Janeiro with a pet, consider flying American or United Airlines, which allows passengers to bring pets onboard at an additional fee. The airlines allow small dogs and cats weighing at most 20 lbs to travel in a cabin secured in a carrier. Consider American Airlines with a more significant carrier dimension than United Airlines. The dimensions of your pet carrier if flying American Airlines must be at most 19 by 13 by 9 inches.

  • Which airline is recommended for unaccompanied minors flying to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco?

    Various airlines flying the San Francisco-Rio de Janeiro route allow children between 5 to 14 to travel unaccompanied. Consider booking American, Delta, or United Airlines, which offer extensive services to unaccompanied minors. The airlines ensure the child’s safety by assigning a cabin crew to supervise the child throughout the journey. The airlines provide assistance services to the child at the airports and during the flight, including priority check-in and boarding.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro was $334 for a one-way ticket and $629 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro?

    Yes

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco?

    Panama City is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro, Delta or LATAM Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro are Delta and LATAM Airlines. With an average price for the route of $1,173 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. LATAM Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $951 and an overall rating of 7.5.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Rio de Janeiro with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Rio de Janeiro from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

  • San Francisco offers three primary international airports: San Francisco Airport (SFO), San José Airport (SJC), and Oakland Airport (OAK). Among them, SFO serves as the main airport for San Francisco, accommodating the majority of international and domestic flights to and from the city. Consequently, if you're looking for flights to Rio de Janeiro that align with your schedule, SFO would be the ideal departure airport.
  • Oakland International Airport (OAK), East of San Francisco Bay, experiences lower passenger traffic than SFO; therefore, an ideal airport if you are looking to have a smooth travel experience. The airport has shorter lines at check-in and security checkpoints.
  • Flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro arrive at Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport (GIG), located north of the city. The airport is the main gateway to Rio de Janeiro, also serving close-by cities, including Sao Joao De Meriti, Belford Roxo, and Nilopolis.
  • If you are reading to downtown Rio de Janeiro, consider flying into Santos Dumont airport (SDU), which is the closest to downtown Rio de Janeiro. The airport is connected to the public transport system, including buses and the metro, operating at a 10- to 15-minute from the airport to downtown Rio de Janeiro.
  • If you have extra luggage, consider flying United Airlines, as the airline has a favorable carry-on baggage allowance. United Airlines allows one piece of carry-on baggage in a cabin weighing at most 35 lbs with maximum dimensions of 22 by 14 by 9 inches.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.5
LATAM AirlinesOverall score based on 1833 reviews
8.0Crew
7.0Entertainment
7.6Boarding
7.4Comfort
6.7Food
Airline reviews

I couldn't travel, now I can't get a refund and to change the date I have to pay an absurd fine.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Aug 2025MIA - GRU
Read more LATAM Airlines reviews

I couldn't travel, now I can't get a refund and to change the date I have to pay an absurd fine.

Boarding was confusing with a delayed flight because there was no English translation

My biggest complaint is the comfort. I am not tall and there was no legroom. It was very uncomfortable. During my transfer in Sao Paola, the flight was slightly delayed so boarding was confusing because there were no instructions in English.

Bought a ticket that included a bag and they still charged me to check it in, latam is the worst airline.

I never got this flight. You sent me to Chile!!! And from Chile I got the other flight to São Paulo... I've arrived 7h latter than I was supposed to arrive because of Delta delays.

Because the flight was late, we lost the connection to Brazil. You, Delta delayed, and you Delta anticipated the door closing in 15 min from Miami to GRU. Why? It caused a lot of stress! I almost could not see my mother in law alive because of your delay.

Lost ,y connection due to a mechanical delay, huge line to get new connection and vouchers

It’s a delta flight operated by LATAM. The whole ticket sale is a mess, delta changed my flight but didn’t update it in LATAM system, I couldn’t get my boarding pass, it took me hours to resolve this issue with delta. I had to change my travel plan. No apology from Delta even though it’s their fault.

Boarding was done by woman who insisted on strict standing in line policy; food was ok; entertainment minimal

The boarding and new bag drop-off process was confusing and causing massive delays.

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

horrible service, food was an embarrassment, no charging for cellphones, stay away

Very happy with my flight. I would definitely recommend it.

Did upgrade, travel in business it was great (more room I could sleep)

Had to go through security at the gate again. Had to take off shoes and go through the whole thing again even though we have global entry. They asked us to check in items bought at duty free during our layover and since we checked our luggage at the original departure airport, they forced us to check in a small backpack. None of this ever happened with other airlines. In addition, no vegetarian food option and no snacks during a 7 hr flight. Luggage limits are unusually small. This is unacceptable. Will NEVER fly Copa again and will tell friends and family to avoid this airline.

It was ok. However, the food was quite poor since I don't eat pasta.

Tell people to remain in their seats during the meal/beverage distribution. Enforce boarding by group numbers. No one was checking. Tell people to turn their electronics speakers off. Bigger cups for drinks.

Placed us in the last rear row of the plane so could not recline seats because of the rear wall, and also made it more of a tight space when the passenger in front reclined their seat. While understand seat assignments, every passenger should be afforded a reclining seat. The odor control scent from the restrooms was overwhelming strong. My wife and I could not deal with it, and she suffered a terrible headache as a result. I kept getting hit by the crew since I was on the ilse seat. No apologies, nothing. They made me feel like I was supposed to take the beating for a 3 hr flight.

There was no individual at the front check in when I arrived. I waited for at least 15 minutes and walked around asking security/janitors if they could help and they did not have a solution. So I had to take my checked bag through security and they threw away some of my items. I ended up making it to the gate only a few minutes before it closed due to my waiting for an agent at check in.

The flight was delayed twice and I could not speak with anyone at the airport about checking in. The phone number to Copa - the customer service agents were polite. They are just limited at helping because they are not at the airport

I learned that seating towards the end of plane that a line forms for the restroom and people use your chair as a hand railing, bumping your seat consistently. I was seated in the aisle. I think that next time if I am towards the back row I would want to sit in the middle or window seat.

The best airline I have ever travel , really good customer service, attention and service !!

Everything was great. Only thing that could’ve made it better was buy on board options for hot food, but the snacks were decent. The flight attendants were great. I had no complaints. I was able to make it to my destination safely

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

Very comfortable (upgraded to business class). The audio on my screen didn’t work, but I managed to play the audio through my phone while watching the screen.

Flight was late as pilot crew had to land at different airport in their previous flight. Passengers boarded and had to wait for pilots inside plane. Series of incomplete and unnecessary announcements by an annoying voice, rather than complete, informative announcements.

Breakfast was not loaded at SFO due to catering company change. Seems like a major airline at a major hub would have thought of something else or warned passengers to pick up food before boarding a 3 hour flight.

Boarding seemed to be organized bedlam. For what ever reason, preboarding took longer than 20 minutes. Made the plane 20 minutes late taking off. Luckily we arrived on time. Flight crew seemed very friendly. Only slight turbulence.

They hired a new catering company the same day of my flight. They botched the job by not delivering the right carts and after THREE HOURS waiting, the flight crew timed out (flight was 19 hours long and FAA rules state crew can’t work more than 14 hours long). So they CANCELED OUR FLIGHT!! Worst experience ever. Avoid UAL at all costs.

The personnel were professional and friendly. The Boeing 737 Max 9 is too claustrophobic and was very warm at both airport gates, and still warm in the air.

Our flight was 1.5 hours delayed. There was no weather for the inbound flight, so I don't understand why. This meant a VERY late arrival and only a quick nap before my morning flight.

Delayed flight, so I switched fights to SFO to Phoenix , Phoenix to DSM. Excellent service through American Airlines

AA re-routed flight from HNL to LAX due to delay. My group of 3 with reserved seats in row 9 was broken up, with one assigned to a middle seat, another in the last row of the plane. Not happy. No explanation to the delay. No apologies. No compensation. Would have been nice to be offered an Admiral Club admission or a voucher for the extra 3 hours of layover in LAX. Could not hear the boarding gate announcements in LAX. Adjacent gate was boarding at the same time. Loud speakers were competing against each other. Barely made my boarding group.

Almost a 6 hour flight and the only food option is a cheese plate… and chips. Also how is it there are no options for texting on American. I’ll be going back to delta and united.

Bad food, small seats that didn’t recline. I thought I was buying a quantas ticket so I feel like I got scammed

The chair cushions may need an upgrade. I have been noticing they are so worn out, thin so you’d sit in a dip 😄. Other than that, all was an enjoyable trip. Thanks AA!

Food was terrible, all served at once, poor quality . Wine and bread offered only once.

Cramped seats. FAA should make airlines have more legroom, for even short people complain

Flight was full, and would have preferred an aisle seat, but due to getting a late ticket ,the seat I had was adequate. The flight crew were very help full and hard working. Food and drink were excellent for the 11hr flight. Overall I was pleased with flight, and would recommend British Airways again.

Eventless. It was a good flight and good crew. Can’t complaint.

Boarding was excessively slow. They do it by groups in a way that it doesn’t make sense. After business class , ppl that need assistance and any other priority group they should have ppl board from the back to the front. First rows 20+. Then 15+. Then 10, etc. having ppl sitting in the back board last makes no sense. The libe backame long as soon as ppl on rows 10 or so where told to board. The line went all the way up the ramp and tunnel for 25 mins.

Seats are very tight even in Plus, no complimentary snacks or beverage

The chicken that was served in business class was cold!

I receive a service for what I pay, so it is fair.

i think the flight was late because they were so strict about measuring everyone's personal items to try and charge them $119. It was really petty and made us late.

A few years ago long flights 6 hours or so used to have video screens and they offered ear phones. The food cart used to come and drinks. Now absolutely nothing. Avianca is as bad as Spirit Airlines. Avianca will now be my last choice when booking my next flight.

Business class seats did not lie flat. There was only powdered milk for your coffee....in Business Class!! Food was good.

There isn't much space in-between seats and even water needs to be paid for during the flight.

We did not know about the bag fees until check in. They are way too high. It’s insane. We also had a huge delay and everything costed extra which was very annoying.

Lounge for business was closed. Boarding was rush and stand by. Seat for business is just the middle seat blocked and some more leg room.

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