SFO - RIO

$359 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 4/8. 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, 0 bags

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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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$764
Typical prices: $1,258-$895
Avianca
Mon 9/7Thu 10/1
SFO - GIG • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$359
Typical prices: $454-$662
Avianca
Wed 4/8
SFO - GIG • 2 stops
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $764 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.5 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $780 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 15h 16m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 18% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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We hope you love your trip to Rio de Janeiro!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
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

Mon, Sep 7 - Thu, Oct 1
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 12:30 am
SFO
-
GIG
20h 35m
2 stops
Avianca Logo
7:20 am - 11:55 pm
GIG
-
SFO
20h 35m
2 stops
$764Avianca
Tue, Jun 9 - Thu, Jul 2
Avianca Logo
7:45 am - 3:35 pm
SFO
-
GIG
27h 50m
3 stops
Avianca Logo
4:40 pm - 10:35 pm
GIG
-
SFO
33h 55m
2 stops
$766Avianca
Sun, May 3 - Mon, May 18
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 12:30 am
SFO
-
GIG
20h 35m
2 stops
Avianca Logo
1:35 am - 10:35 pm
GIG
-
SFO
49h 00m
2 stops
$767Avianca
Thu, Aug 6 - Sun, Aug 16
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 3:35 pm
SFO
-
GIG
35h 40m
2 stops
Avianca Logo
7:20 am - 12:50 pm
GIG
-
SFO
33h 30m
2 stops
$769Avianca
Mon, May 11 - Mon, Jun 1
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 12:30 am
SFO
-
GIG
20h 35m
2 stops
Avianca Logo
4:40 pm - 12:50 pm
GIG
-
SFO
24h 10m
2 stops
$772Avianca
Tue, Sep 15 - Tue, Sep 22
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:30 am - 3:35 pm
SFO
-
GIG
33h 05m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 7:24 pm
GIG
-
SFO
26h 24m
1 stop
$773Multiple Airlines
Mon, May 4 - Tue, May 12
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 12:30 am
SFO
-
GIG
20h 35m
2 stops
Avianca Logo
4:40 pm - 12:50 pm
GIG
-
SFO
24h 10m
2 stops
$775Avianca
Mon, Sep 14 - Mon, Sep 21
Air Canada Logo
11:46 pm - 4:45 pm
SFO
-
SDU
36h 59m
2 stops
Air Canada Logo
1:45 pm - 9:50 pm
SDU
-
SFO
36h 05m
2 stops
$863Air Canada
Mon, Sep 14 - Mon, Sep 21
Air Canada Logo
11:46 pm - 4:45 pm
SFO
-
SDU
36h 59m
2 stops
Air Canada Logo
1:45 pm - 9:50 pm
SDU
-
SFO
36h 05m
2 stops
$904Air Canada
Tue, May 12 - Mon, Jun 1
Air Canada Logo
8:05 am - 4:45 pm
SFO
-
SDU
28h 40m
2 stops
Air Canada Logo
1:45 pm - 11:25 am
SDU
-
SFO
25h 40m
2 stops
$926Air Canada
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.

How much is a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro departing in September.

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 November, where tickets cost $849 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and January, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,665 and $1,145 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 24 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$359
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 10% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 60% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont

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 $359 for a one-way ticket and $764 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?

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

  • 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 Copa Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro are Delta and Copa Airlines. With an average price for the route of $1,268 and an overall rating of 7.9, Delta is the most popular choice. Copa Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,183 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
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 1577 reviews
7.4Comfort
8.1Crew
6.8Food
7.8Boarding
6.8Entertainment
Airline reviews

Do not book it’s a scam! They stole $1200 from me

2.0 MediocreTalicia, Mar 2026
PTY - RDU
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

Do not book it’s a scam! They stole $1200 from me

Flight got delayed; had to go through security three times.

Copa staff at PTY and one particular crew member were unhelpful & rude.

Horrible. No TV or any type of entertainment on board. Passwnger listening to/watching stuff on their own phone with no headphones making it noise and uncomfortable for everyone else, little/tiny food portions, old seats, useless wifi (cant access anything). Horrible exlerience especially it was a lomg distance flight with kids.

There should be a warning regarding the quality of the aircraft on the website as we reserve the tickets. There was no TV or any type of screen onboard. The wifi they offer is good for nothing. Traveling 9 hours straight with kids and no type of entetainment was horrible. I wish I had been informed prior so I could buy a ticket with another airline. The food was a joke too. A very tiny portion per passenger. They also charged $100 per checked bag. With United I used to pay $60. So, fair to say that I wont be flying Copa anymore. Their aircraft was super old, outdated, no entertainment, with nearly no onboard food.

I always enjoy flying Copa. There are very few airlines where I can enjoy a comfortable sleep in-flight. The snacks weren't the best, but they sufficed. The in-flight entertainment was fantastic, and I crossed another movie off my watch list.

Very strict carry on rules meant most of the plane had to gate check their luggage. As is often the case had things that were broken because of this, but I appreciated not being charged to gate check. Otherwise good flight and great crew once on the plane

Simply as follows:- First, there was no vegetarian option for the meal Second, only 2 washrooms for the entire economy class.

I liked the meatloaf the chicken was awful but the plane was on time and got there and the staff was nice.

They were super friendly bumped me up to exit row free of charge, All flight legs were on time

Honestly first time flying with delta and it was pretty good. All the process very smooth and crew was always nice and attentive.

Deleted flight made me loose my connection flight now stuck in Atlanta for a day

Apart of Sky miles delta. And they go everywhere in Brazil

There was a mechanical issue with the plane that they had to work on before we could take off. That's fine, by all means, PLEASE make sure the mechanics are functioning properly. What was a problem was the fact that we sat on the tarmac for 4.5 hours without moving, without letting us off the plane, and without climate control and air running through the plane. There was no explanation as to what was going on; they just kept promising that it would be "15 minutes, then we are on our way." At one point, they even switched the entire crew out and told everyone we just needed to wait for new employees to show up. Then, as the 4 hours were not moving, an hour before the full refund, they made a big show about "the flight starting and the doors are locked, so you have to sit down." We didn't move for another 40 minutes; they were just trying to skirt around legalities that entitled us to restitution. When the flight finally was underway, the plane was gigantic but cramped in design, my entertainment screen kept freezing and glitching, and subtitles didn't work, and the crew was passive-aggressive. Terrible flight.

We traveled with two young children, and it was not possible for our family to be seated together. No one offered help or assistance to organize seating so we could sit with our kids. In the end, we managed to find two seats in Economy so I could at least sit with one of them, even though I had originally paid for Comfort+. In summary, I had to downgrade my seat just to be able to sit with one of my children, which was very disappointing

I booked a flight through Kayak to Brazil I have traveled to Brazil several times before Kayak Delta or LATAM never mentioned during the booking or in the pre flight process that the visa requirements to visit Brazil have changed earlier this year. I was unaware of this change and as such never got a visa and was unable to fly from JFK to Sao Paulo Add to this that Delta allowed me to fly from Boston to JFK which they should not have as I didn’t have a visa. It has been a terrible experience and a huge loss of money

Latam may be the worst airline in the world, far worse than even the lowest of low cost airlines in the USA. I wasted hours trying to PAY THEM TO CHECK A BAG! Then they misled me at the terminal, sent me through the wrong security line, the list goes on and on... Just absolutely terrible in every way. Avoid at all costs.

Poor, the airline was not able to help me move flights.

The way the Pilot made all announcements, specially the way he congratulated the entire crew as the best team ever, making a comment that due to them they were able to shorter the delay to the destination. Amazing flight .

Just to drop my already labeled bag it took 50 minutes inline. Completely disappointed with Latam operation at GRU

the entire flight felt off. The crew seemed uninterested and disengaged. The food service was really bad - overcooked, bland, weird food service. They actually woke us up to serve chicken wraps in the middle of the night, after dinner and before breakfast. Made no sense. Ultimately, I was glad they did though, because the breakfast had been held for so long it was inedible. Eggs, potatoes, sausage - all disgusting. We were asked to "honor" the lavatories for premium customers and stay in our own cabin: this was also strange. So people in economy didn't pay enough to use the closest toilet to them??? It's a toilet. All in all, not the experience I have come to expect from United Airlines. The return flight from Paris to SFO was better, btw.

They delayed the flight from 9:00 to 11:55 At 11:45 they canceled the flight. I paid a premium price for the tickets with poor service

The 777’s economy seat’s legroom was more tolerable than expected. I appreciate the reclining mechanism which slides the seat forward to minimize cannibalizing the space behind. The food was terrible: very salty.

Seats are uncomfortable. This has been a trend in the industry for decades. Trying to fit more seats on each plane to increase profits at the expense of the passenger.

Staff were good. My seat was in need of repair, but for a short flight was not problematic. Usual basic snack and drink setup that you'll find on any US carrier. Over, a decent, basic flight.

Flight delayed for more than 16 hrs and no effort was spent to provide an alternate

We had turbulence ever 1/2 hr or so and the captains announcements were SOOOO LOUD

it was a very short flight so my expectations were low.

Entertainment kept turning itself off. Gave up on watching a movie.

Very disappointing given gate agent behavior. Filed a formal complaint with United.

Flight boarded from Gate 159B, the farthest gate in the LAX Bradley Terminal. While the flight operated on time, the first class cabin attendant made no recognition of my being an Advantage Executive Platinum member.

For an international flight the seats were smaller than most flight I have been on in economy. I don’t know the size of the seats or perhaps it was the size of the seat dividers that made the seats feel smaller and little amount of space to even turn your body if you needed to

The flight itself was excellent but the gate attendant made me check my carryon since she said it was an inch too big. I’ve had no problems with this carryon on recent flights on Qantas, Delta, Austrian, Southwest Airlines even though the overhead bins are the same size. there were other carryons in the bins that also looked larger than mine and there was room left in the bins for more. When I picked up my carryon from baggage claim one of the wheels had broken off.

I was in last row so that is never great bc the person in front of me leaned his seat all the way back into me.

The experience at checkin for my American Airlines flight from Sacramento to LAX was very good including the assistance I received in getting my bags checked in and boarding passes printed. Was pleasantly surprised the my bags were checked through all the way to my destination at Clark International Airport in Angeles, Philippines.

Terrible planning. And even worse gate agents. Absolutely rude behavior.

Flight was scheduled at 11:26am but they keep Delaying until midnight. They waited at airport restless.

Rough flight No beverage service due to turbulence Bottom Seat cushion was non existent

Not good. One of my luggage is missing. And until now they can’t find it

My 9:50AM flight was delayed to 3:40PM "due to incoming aircraft delay". No aircraft is "delayed" that long. Found out once we did board (after several changes in times) that the aircraft had a maintenance issue and we had to wait for another aircraft. Just tell us that. The aircraft we did get was old and the seats need to be updated. I have been traveling for several weeks with AA and you should refresh your entertainment content as frequent flyers have gone through most of your new content. I have Celiac and a shellfish allergy and continue to have struggles with meals on business and first class flights. Please keep this in mind. Sorry - was a long travel day yesterday and a bit cranky this morning with my experience comments. Still an AA fan.

Seating was tight. Seats don't recline. Initial flight was cancelled. Lost two days of vacation.

It was delayed and I lost my connection flight to Cali and I missed my Mom's funeral

I actually upgraded to the medium level of seats from basic and even doing that it may have been physically the most uncomfortable flight I have ever had. They packed everyone like is a train to death camp. It was a red eye so I hoped to get some sleep but it was physically impossible to find a comfortable way to rest. I met other folks on the same flight and they said the same thing. It was an utterly miserable flight and if I have any other options I will never fly with them again

Not good, tried to purchase a first class upgrade and they couldn’t get it done. Was super uncomfortable the whole time.

Boarding was late due to the company’s that cleaned the aircraft (very poorly done) and the catering company. The entertainment system was not working for this six hour flight, uncomfortable seats in business (barely any cushion or recline). The airline staff is very good but the planes are horrible and not well maintained.

Deplaning was a mess, I sat in business (seats are horrible) and the front door had a problem so we had to deplane from the rear exit. The stairs were not tall enough to reach so there was a large step down from the plane to the top of the stairs.

Staff are the rudest in the industry … awful customer service … will never fly Avianca again

Pros: we leave and arrive on time Cons: the most uncomfortable seats ever. You cant recline at all your seats. No entertainment No TVs flight attendants didn't provide even a glass of water. You have to go to back of the airplane and ask for one. I am Colombian and I remember seeing the flight attendants very neat, elegants which is or was a staple of Avianca.it was one with tennis shoes, no male up, the hair was messy... that was really odd.

Here we have another airline flying to Guatemala but doesn't have a plus or a less, just in the middle. Why? Well, first we don't have even free water Movie selection is poor Seats don't recline in some places Food selection is carb based Forgot to mention, customer service on the web is the worst. Good things; Very reliable on schedule Kind crew

Last seat of Bussines Class it does recline but passenger seating behind kept pushing since they did not have space once my seat was reclined

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro

Information on your arrival and departure airports