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 3/14. 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

Mon, Jan 19 - Sun, Feb 1
Air Canada Logo
6:50 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
36h 15m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
9:00 pm - 3:35 pmGIG-SFO
23h 35m2 stops
$658Air Canada
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Tue, Nov 11 - Tue, Nov 18
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:25 am - 3:10 pmSFO-GIG
25h 45m2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:35 pm - 9:22 pmGIG-SFO
53h 47m2 stops
$659Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jan 20 - Sun, Feb 15
Air Canada Logo
8:30 am - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
22h 35m1 stop
Air Canada Logo
9:00 pm - 9:31 amGIG-SFO
41h 31m2 stops
$660Air Canada
Find Deal
Mon, Feb 23 - Mon, Mar 2
Multiple Airlines Logo
11:00 pm - 12:05 pmSFO-GIG
32h 05m1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 am - 9:22 pmGIG-SFO
42h 37m2 stops
$664Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Feb 23 - Sun, Mar 1
Avianca Logo
11:10 pm - 12:40 amSFO-GIG
20h 30m2 stops
Avianca Logo
1:45 am - 12:00 pmGIG-SFO
39h 15m2 stops
$683Avianca
Find Deal
Tue, Nov 4 - Wed, Nov 12
Multiple Airlines Logo
11:10 pm - 6:25 amSFO-GIG
26h 15m2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:55 am - 11:17 pmGIG-SFO
18h 22m1 stop
$693Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Nov 4 - Tue, Nov 11
Avianca Logo
11:10 pm - 6:25 amSFO-GIG
26h 15m2 stops
Avianca Logo
1:45 am - 12:00 pmGIG-SFO
39h 15m2 stops
$724Avianca
Find Deal
Sat, Nov 8 - Fri, Nov 14
LATAM Airlines Logo
9:50 pm - 6:25 amSFO-GIG
27h 35m2 stops
LATAM Airlines Logo
7:35 pm - 9:44 amGIG-SFO
19h 09m2 stops
$747LATAM Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Nov 6 - Wed, Nov 12
LATAM Airlines Logo
5:50 am - 8:20 amSFO-GIG
21h 30m1 stop
LATAM Airlines Logo
3:20 pm - 12:30 pmGIG-SFO
26h 10m2 stops
$757LATAM Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Nov 10 - Tue, Nov 18
Copa Airlines Logo
12:36 am - 8:00 amSFO-GIG
26h 24m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
9:55 am - 11:17 pmGIG-SFO
18h 22m1 stop
$798Copa Airlines
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Air Canada
Cheapest • from $658 (round-trip)
Delta
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Video guide: How to find cheap flights to Rio de Janeiro
Watch video
Watch video
Watch video
Watch video
When to travel
August
Cheapest • 11% price drop
December
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest round-trip
$658
Typical prices: $834-1141
Air Canada
Mon 1/19Sun 2/1
SFO - GIG • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$334
Typical prices: $550-1025
Avianca
Sat 3/14
SFO - GIG • 2 stops
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We hope you love your trip to Rio de Janeiro!
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 August, where tickets cost $933 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,402 and $1,134 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 5 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonMay
Cheapest flight$334
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 11% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 33% 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 $658 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 $1,165 and an overall rating of 7.9, Delta is the most popular choice. LATAM Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $933 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.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 7964 reviews
8.5Crew
7.9Comfort
7.3Food
7.9Entertainment
8.2Boarding
Airline reviews

Flight delayed for two and half hours and then canceled altogether due to mechanical issues. No mechanic onsite to fix so had to send one from LAX.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Sep 2025SNA - SEA
Read more Delta reviews

Flight delayed for two and half hours and then canceled altogether due to mechanical issues. No mechanic onsite to fix so had to send one from LAX.

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

Crew was excellent. Comfort seats not as nice as other kinds of planes.

It was a great flight and the stewards and stewardess were all kind and accommodating!! The seats were comfortable and entertainment screen excellent!

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

There was a security issue at the airport and we were unable to land. We circled endlessly and then landed at another airfield for fuel. We then circled the airport again, almost landed but didn’t fully touch down before circling again. I am thankful to the crew for keeping us safe- the issue was the airline and staff at the airport getting us seats on our connecting flights. That part was hours of searching for someone and getting in double my steps.

Most aspects were good however if they assign boarding zones they ought to enforce them or why bother? My luggage from SAN-JFK-MAD was lost in NY so I without my main bag for two days upon arrival in Spain. They were helpful in tracking it and eventually delivered it to my hotel. The flub was because of a delay upon arrival in NYC. I had booked 2 1/2 hours between flights but we had to hold on the taxiway for an hour after landing while waiting for a clear gate which likely caused the baggage error.

Excellent flight, the planes were newer, they did a nice job with boarding, great service overall.

It would be nice if was given wires ear buds. Overall was a good experience was able to sleep on the plane

737-800 in first class was pretty dumpy. Seat had an uncomfortable angle, storage under the seat was blocked so even my very modest backpack didn't fit, power outlet was flaky. Weird tiny seat pockets that couldn't hold a gallon ziploc bag, emesis bag missing, etc. etc. No in-flight service due to turbulence. Crew was excellent, boarding was smooth despite a full flight.

I’m entitled to a refund per LATAM due to the mid flight itinerary change and being stuck in São Paulo for 24 hours and needing to get a hotel. The airline was dismissive and of no help.

The flight was late. Please do not delay next time.

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.

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.

It would have been better if they don't separate families in seating. We were seated in the aile row in the middle of a family of four. It would have been better if they they seat the family of four together than separated.

We had to deboard 2 times due to maintenance issues. They changed the plane, and then we got deviated to LAX due to maibtenance issues on the other plane, had to sleep at LAX and los a full day.

From the first moment you interact with United Airlines, you can expect nothing less but extreme frustration. The baggage handler at the bag drop seems completely unbothered by the presence of customers waiting in line. No help was extended to load the baggage whatsoever. And if any of your bags is overweight by 0.01 pound they will make you re-distribute everything in your suitcase just to play power trip. When it was time to board no help was extended to customers to locate their seats. Moreover. It was a chaotic mess at the gate when it was unclear who should board first and everyone just bunched up, trying to get on the plane. I am sure the crew was doing their best to perform their jobs while being paid their wages however it shouldn’t be that hard to smile once or twice when you’re in the business if serving customers. It is a shame for the United States of America to have a flagship carrier of such low caliber. Our flight was also delayed by about an hour and a half due to further delays prior to our inbound flight. Being someone who has travelled for both business and leisure in Asia, Europe, and South America I have never experienced such poor quality of service.

The pilots were late and it made us 1 hour late. The meat was tough and bok choy was also tough.

Stuck on tarmac for two hours plus a 5.5 hour flight. Rude flight attendant. And no meals, not even for purchase!

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.

The entertainment package was vast and the selections were very current. Keep updating it was great.

The seat was so hard my tailbone was aching The crew was kind of a b**** because I made a joke that I didn't care if they close the door I total c*** when she was trying to f****** act like she was mad at me because I said that The flight was bumpy. Sure you didnt have control over that.

4 hours late, including over +1 hour waiting in plane to take off. Baggage left behind too.

While waiting to claim my checked luggage, I discovered the airline had lost it. After a long wait and inquiries, I discovered it was on another flight. Fortunately, the airline finally sent my luggage home.

Was not able to watch most shows on the entertainment site. They would not load

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

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