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SFO - HEL

Find cheap flights from San Francisco to Helsinki from $342

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 Helsinki departing on 7/17. 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
0 bags
Thu 5/23
Thu 5/30

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Helsinki

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Helsinki.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Helsinki.
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 44,632,927 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

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Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Helsinki (SFO-HEL)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Helsinki 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
5:40 pm - 11:55 pmSFO-HEL
20h 15m1 stop
7:00 am - 3:50 pmHEL-SFO
18h 50m1 stop
$645Scandinavian Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, May 6 - Mon, May 13
5:40 pm - 11:55 pmSFO-HEL
20h 15m1 stop
7:00 am - 3:50 pmHEL-SFO
18h 50m1 stop
$675Scandinavian Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 14 - Tue, May 21
7:38 am - 2:00 pmSFO-HEL
20h 22m2 stops
12:25 pm - 10:29 pmHEL-SFO
19h 04m2 stops
$819American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 10 - Tue, Oct 29
12:54 am - 10:45 amSFO-HEL
23h 51m1 stop
12:25 pm - 10:29 pmHEL-SFO
19h 04m2 stops
$821American Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 9 - Tue, Oct 29
12:09 am - 6:45 pmSFO-HEL
32h 36m2 stops
12:45 pm - 7:00 pmHEL-SFO
16h 15m1 stop
$822United Airlines
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Sun, May 5 - Mon, May 13
9:30 am - 4:40 pmSFO-HEL
21h 10m2 stops
6:40 am - 12:45 pmHEL-SFO
16h 05m1 stop
$827Delta
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 16 - Tue, Sep 3
11:59 am - 4:40 pmSFO-HEL
18h 41m2 stops
7:00 am - 11:45 amHEL-SFO
14h 45m1 stop
$829Delta
Find Deal
Mon, Jul 22 - Tue, Aug 20
10:50 pm - 11:50 pmSFO-HEL
15h 00m1 stop
6:20 am - 12:40 pmHEL-SFO
16h 20m1 stop
$921Lufthansa
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Fri, May 3 - Fri, May 17
12:12 am - 12:00 pmSFO-HEL
25h 48m2 stops
6:35 am - 10:08 amHEL-SFO
37h 33m2 stops
$948United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Jul 29 - Tue, Sep 3
9:05 pm - 11:50 pmSFO-HEL
16h 45m1 stop
6:20 pm - 12:40 pmHEL-SFO
28h 20m1 stop
$1,030Lufthansa
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 3 - Tue, Sep 3

Flights from San Francisco to Helsinki - Travel Insights & Trends

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

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Helsinki?

The average price of all flights from San Francisco to Helsinki clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If you are looking for a flight deal from San Francisco to Helsinki, look for departures on Wednesdays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Helsinki, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly and Wednesday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Helsinki?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from San Francisco to Helsinki, 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 Helsinki is February, where tickets cost $782 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are May and June, where the average cost of tickets is $1,590 and $1,522 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Helsinki?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from San Francisco to Helsinki, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Helsinki, you should book around 2 days before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 77 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Helsinki?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 3 days, Icelandair offered the best one-way deal for that route, at $539. KAYAK users also found San Francisco to Helsinki round-trip flights on Scandinavian Airlines from $645 and on British Airways from $810.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

June

Cheapest flight

$342
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 28% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 39% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Helsinki

When to book flights from San Francisco to Helsinki

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Helsinki 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 Helsinki

  • Will I need a visa to fly from San Francisco to Helsinki?

    Since Finland is part of the Schengen area, US residents do not need to apply for a visa before traveling to Helsinki. As long as you have a Schengen visa you can stay in the country visa-free for as long as 90 days. The only requirement will be a valid passport with at least six months left and two blank pages for each stamp. There is also a currency restriction of 10,000 € for entry and exit.

  • Can I get a train from Helsinki Airport to the city center?

    Yes, there is a train service that connects Helsinki Airport to the city center. You can get it from the airport train station, located on the arrivals level between Terminal 1 and 2. You should know that the train service runs from 4:00 am to midnight so not reliable for any arrivals past midnight. The bus and taxi offer a more reliable option as they run 24/7 although a taxi is significantly more expensive relative to the train and bus.

  • How can I fly between San Francisco and Helsinki?

    At the moment, there aren’t any airline carriers offering direct connections between San Francisco and Helsinki. Most flights involve one or two stops on the way with the fastest option being about 1h 35min. The layover options on the route vary depending on the airline with British Airways having their layovers in London while KLM has its layover scheduled for Amsterdam.

  • Which airline should I book with to enjoy the lounges at San Francisco Airport?

    The airport has multiple lounges where you can hang out while waiting to board your flight to Helsinki. These lounges offer comfortable seating along with complimentary food and drinks for travelers to enjoy. You can get access to these lounges by booking with the affiliated airline. For instance, out of the international carriers serving this route only Air France and KLM have a joint lounge which is open to travelers flying with either of the two airlines.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Helsinki?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Helsinki was $342 for a one-way ticket and $645 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and Helsinki?

    Yes, you’ll need a passport to travel to Helsinki from San Francisco.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Helsinki?

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

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Helsinki?

    Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between San Francisco and Helsinki, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Helsinki from San Francisco?

    Copenhagen is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Helsinki.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Helsinki, Delta or KLM?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Helsinki are Delta and KLM. With an average price for the route of $1,115 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. KLM is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,296 and an overall rating of 7.8.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Helsinki?

    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 Helsinki.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Helsinki 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 Helsinki?

    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 Helsinki with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and HEL can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

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

    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 Helsinki from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from SFO to Helsinki

  • You can choose to fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) instead of San Francisco (SFO) if you’re looking to avoid the long queues and busy nature of SFO. The airport is less than thirty miles away from San Francisco and also offers connections to Helsinki.
  • British Airways has onboard Wi-Fi available for its passengers. This would be a good airline option to consider if you plan on taking advantage of the long flight to get some office work done or even catch up with your favorite TV show.
  • Lufthansa has an unaccompanied minor service that makes it possible for you to book a ticket for your child to travel alone. This service ensures the safety of your child throughout the entire trip including any transfers.
  • Different airlines have different seat classes available for this route. For instance, an Economy ticket with Lufthansa allows you a carry-on and checked bag while KLM only allows a carry-on with any checked bags incurring an additional cost.
  • While there are multiple options to get to San Francisco Airport from downtown, a taxi is the quickest one if you’re running out of time. It is also very convenient if you have a lot of luggage as it will pick you up at any point and drop you off at the airport terminal.
See more tips

Top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Helsinki

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Helsinki. 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 Helsinki? 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.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 11028 reviews
8.6crew
7.5food
8.0entertainment
8.2boarding
7.9comfort
Airline reviews

There was a loud squeaky sound the whole time we were flying.

6.0 GoodEliza, Apr 2024SAN - LAX
Read more about Delta reviews

There was a loud squeaky sound the whole time we were flying.

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

The landing was bad and the hostess came two times and i was sleeping but when she served the person that nexts to me I woke up and she didn’t even asked me if I need any drink or snacks two times!!!!

Plane was late because of a mechanical malfunction and the food listed as available was not. Flight attendants seem over worked and under paid. They just done seem happy. And that can be seen in their faces.

Waited 3 hours on a plane to de-ice due to manpower issues. Waited another hour and a half once we landed because of a gate issue. Missed my connections. Created. A total of 13 hours of delay.

Great, on time departure, friendly and accommodating crew, great leg room, Smith flight

Plane was turned around due to fog half way into the flight, Delta did not properly direct passengers to stay on same flight and instead failed to properly rebook on Alaska

Honestly, I didn’t expect that I will experience this long time wait during the check in. There was only one person who was taking care of the passengers for the economy class and it took us to wait about one hour to do our check i. As a result we barely get to the airplane as the gate was at the end of the airport. That is totally not professional where one crue is working at the registration desk with economy and 3-4 crues are helping for the business class.

Like most domestic flights in the US, you are basically on your own with this airline when it comes to food, so be sure to purchase meals and drinks ahead of time or expect to arrive starving and dehydrated (like I was).

You need to be a hacker to get the (Free) WiFi

It was listed on my ticket as Finnair but there was no indication that the flight was Finnair. In fact the number was even different. There were no employees there until exactly 2 hours before so we had to wait in line at Iberia and hope

Sorting on line would have been appreciated Onward information on flights missed No ability to get seating arranged before we got to gate Very unfriendly at gate

I booked the flight with Finnair, which made the arrangements for downloading a boarding pass unnecessarily complicated. I wouldn't do that again. Instead I'd book direct with AA.

Had a nice flight to London on BA will fly with them again in the future

Finnair cancelled my flight 12 hours prior to leaving for Helsinki. They stated there were mechanical problems. I had to scurry around to find a new flight that would meet my needs for arrival in Helsinki. Luckily I was able to find alternate transportation through Lufthansa/United.

I’m very disappointed, to fly into an airplane for 10 straight hours, and not having a TV even though when I put the ticket I was told that I will have entertainment for the TV. Very disappointed.

Helpful steward. Allowed me to move to some empty seats and I was able to get some sleep. He also had milk for my tea. Americans don’t realise that cream or half and half ruin tea.

Security was a mess at the Helsinki Airport. But I was delighted by the connecting flight waiting for us for JFK.

Very rude hostess. She embarrassed me in front of others. I went to sit after taking off in a different sit in the same economic cabin. Was the area where doors are. She come to me very laud and said: go back to your sit those sit are more expensive.wow! No diplomacy. Flight was super full except 3 of those sit. The only person in that row later during the flight occupied all sit laying down!. Once more disappointed at American Airlines. Early flight they lost my luggages for 4 days. Never refund money for replacement for some of essential items purchased..when I booked the flight I thought was Finlandair. I

The crew was very good, excellent, they help me with my needs.! Food was not that good.

Much better, not their fault but my plane was so delayed causing me to have to take this airline rather than my earlier connecting flight

TERRIBLE! Staff was unfriendly, rude, and demeaning. One flight attendant touched me to grab the complimentary blanket off my neck because I couldn't take it home, while a bunch of other people took theirs home. I have never been so ill treated. I am not happy at all. And flight was delayed, no information until short notice for everything. Lost an entire day at my destination. I expect a full refund for that experience. Never will fly with them EVER again

My return flight has been changed to JFK from EWR without any notice or reason

This was my first time flying SAS and used them for 4 flights. The crews, flight and communication was outstanding. I flew premium economy and was extremely impressed by their SAS lounges. I will 100% ise SAS again. Everyone was so pleasant!

I upgraded to economy plus and it’s so worth the price. The crew is exceptional and the food is pretty decent. I would definitely fly with them again.

I had economy plus and it’s definitely worth the price. The seats are so comfortable, so much space, great large TV screens, and you get fed often. Really decent food (although other fish was overcooked.) They do need better movie choices. The crew is the best. Super friendly and accommodating. So much better than most American run Airlines.

They lost my luggage. Tromso in winter without warm clothes is not fun.

Flight was delayed 3 hours. Pilot cancelled flight under 4 people volunteered to change their seats to economy from business class.

Last minute cancelation, though a substitute flight was found I could not pick my meal or seat. The hotel offered didn't have working air control or shower.

My seat was not the one I paid for, the crew was very curt, and the cabin was extremely warm.

It was spectacular. I had basic Economy and was given so much space and their seats lean back so far. Staff was superb, food was superb, everything was superb, Finnair is Fantastic.

The experience was great and much better than the flight going out. of course I was in first class but the service was excellent

Comfort of seats, ease of boarding. Food selection could be better

Food options were limited which is absolutely embarrassing for a Flight of this size The staff did not come around as much and I am not accustomed to such poor service from American Airlines Drinks I believe were limited to soda and water

Crew were attentive and friendly. Flight was smooth and early! I enjoyed the less crowded plane. Thank you!

Awful customer service on the phone. No phone number on the website to call a real person. Website says changes are no charge but this is a lie. I had a cheaper ticket through Kayak therefore Finnair wouldn’t change it unless I would pay the entire fare again. I begged but their agents at the airport were rude and the online chat person cut off the call with no help. Super disappointed. Wont fly this airline again and will tell everyone I meet how bad it is. Crew on the flight was nice but otherwise huge disappointment.

We are gluten free, there were not any available complimentary gluten free options.

No meal on a cross country flight? SFO-MiA is pretty much the definition of a coast to coast flight. No meal provided. Sky high wi-fi rates too. Stop nickel and diming your customers.

The staff was unprofessional and didn’t communicate very well. The boarding process was very disheveled, potentially due to a power outage the previous day but there was no contingency plan to properly get passengers boarded the following day. Once boarded the aircraft stayed on the tarmac for over 45 minutes due to high winds. The communication was sporadic but an announcement was finally made an additional 30 minutes later that the flight was cancelled but we couldn’t get off the plane. Prior to deplaning one of the gate agents came on the plane and made an announcement for everyone to pickup their checked bags and take a card to rebook a new reservation because they didn’t have adequate staff. Flights were missed, passengers went to different airports and there was little to no assistance from AA.

You cancelled my flight by email then made it very difficult to get in contact with you. Then put me in a flight with a long layover in Mexico returning to the wrong airport in uk. Mind blowing my stressful. I missed see my grand dad because of you.

I always try to book flights that don’t charge for baggage. Yet I was charged $75 for this flight.

Used to love Lufthansa, but Rowe are too close together in Economy and passengers are allowed to recline their seats so far back it is impossible for those behind them to even reach for carry-on essentials during flight - except for meal service when flight attendants ask for seat backs to be raised, we can’t sleep on planes so this flight was most uncomfortable ever! Rod Rose

Horrible crowding on the seats, headphones provided did not fit or work in the entertainment center, seriously the most uncomfortable flight I have taken in a LONG time. The people in front of me were literally 5 inches from my face the entire flight. Did they change their seats recently? I remember it being tight but wow this was a whole new level. Also I am a 5'3" small woman so I can't even imagine a larger person dealing with that for 11 hrs.

Seat controls of lights were broken, and only 1 of the 2 seat TVs ever worked on the long flight. On the short flight there were no USB connections, on the long one they were difficult to access. Part of my meal was frozen, though the hot portion was good.

Lufthansa fails at mentioning no luggage when booking through points. We had to pay added fees to take checked bags to Europe for 2 weeks. The staff at check in were not helpful at all. told us "if we don't like it, then book another flight". Food was bad, they ran out of half the options. Vegetarian was terrible. The flight crew was nice, and tried to make it work ok.

The accommodations are top-notch. The only negative was that both our initial flights were delayed, which caused us to miss one and almost miss the other. The staff immediately handled the missed flight and compensated us for the inconvenience.

Food could be better quality - everything else was excellent , thanks Lufthansa team . GOD bless you!!!

Great except my luggage was. Lost my entire. Trip and I had. To go buy things and waste. Time trying to find. My luggage

Plane was old and the persons chair in front wasn’t easy to move up so he had it back most of the flight including during meals. The touchscreen was not working well and selections weren’t good. First time on a flight I really had a hard time finding something to watch. The crew was great and without them, it would have been a bust. Pilot got us there in record time.

Overall good experience, just the delay of 2.5 hrs was a bummer.

Book cheap flights from San Francisco to Helsinki

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from San Francisco to Helsinki found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
7/17Wed
2 stops
32h 18mSFO-HEL
$342
7/16Tue
2 stops
27h 02mSFO-HEL
$440
7/17Wed
3 stops
25h 30mSFO-HEL
$459
5/7Tue
2 stopsIcelandair
20h 00mSFO-HEL
$539
7/17Wed
1 stop
20h 55mSFO-HEL
$610
5/6Mon
1 stopTurkish Airlines
31h 00mSFO-HEL
$719
5/7Tue
1 stopLufthansa
15h 00mSFO-HEL
$754
5/9Thu
2 stopsUnited Airlines
20h 10mSFO-HEL
$767
5/5Sun
1 stopUnited Airlines
27h 10mSFO-HEL
$778
5/10Fri
2 stopsDelta
20h 50mSFO-HEL
$1,141

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Last minute flights from San Francisco to Helsinki

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from San Francisco to Helsinki that are departing in the next 10 days.
4/25Thu
multi-stopScandinavian Airlines
20h 15mSFO-HEL
4/29Mon
multi-stopScandinavian Airlines
18h 50mHEL-SFO
$781
4/24Wed
multi-stopLufthansa
16h 45mSFO-HEL
4/28Sun
multi-stopLufthansa
24h 55mHEL-SFO
$803
4/24Wed
multi-stopLufthansa
16h 45mSFO-HEL
4/28Sun
multi-stopLufthansa
18h 15mHEL-SFO
$812
4/26Fri
multi-stopUnited Airlines
35h 38mSFO-HEL
5/9Thu
multi-stopUnited Airlines
18h 15mHEL-SFO
$819
4/24Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
27h 10mSFO-HEL
4/28Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
18h 15mHEL-SFO
$822
4/25Thu
multi-stopAir Canada
18h 45mSFO-HEL
4/29Mon
multi-stopAir Canada
27h 12mHEL-SFO
$827
4/24Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
17h 40mSFO-HEL
4/28Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
20h 03mHEL-SFO
$832
4/26Fri
multi-stop
17h 40mSFO-HEL
5/9Thu
multi-stop
18h 15mHEL-SFO
$834
4/26Fri
multi-stopUnited Airlines
24h 40mSFO-HEL
5/9Thu
multi-stopUnited Airlines
22h 19mHEL-SFO
$839
4/25Thu
multi-stopDelta
29h 55mSFO-HEL
5/9Thu
multi-stopDelta
16h 05mHEL-SFO
$877

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San Francisco - Helsinki Flights

Departure:

San Francisco (SFO)United States

Destination:

Helsinki (HEL)Finland

Return flight deals:

Helsinki - San Francisco

Cabin classes:

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