MSN - SFO

$105 Find Cheap Flights from Madison to San Francisco

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Madison to San Francisco departing on 5/30. 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 San Francisco

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Madison to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Madison to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$210
Typical prices: $463-$298
Frontier
Tue 8/18Tue 8/25
MSN - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$105
Typical prices: $276-$392
Frontier
Sat 5/30
MSN - SFO • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $210 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Madison and San Francisco. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $347 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 56m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 16% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 15% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to San Francisco!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Madison to San Francisco (MSN-SFO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Madison to San Francisco 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 Madison to San Francisco

Tue, Aug 18 - Tue, Aug 25
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:22 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 23m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:09 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 09m
1 stop
$210Frontier
Tue, Aug 18 - Thu, Aug 27
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:22 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 23m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:09 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 09m
1 stop
$224Frontier
Tue, Jun 16 - Tue, Jun 23
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:27 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 28m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:09 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 09m
1 stop
$230Frontier
Thu, May 28 - Sat, May 30
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:23 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 24m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:14 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 14m
1 stop
$238Frontier
Thu, May 28 - Sun, May 31
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:23 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 24m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:14 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 14m
1 stop
$244Frontier
Thu, May 28 - Sat, May 30
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:23 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 24m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:14 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 14m
1 stop
$250Frontier
Thu, Aug 20 - Thu, Aug 27
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:22 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 23m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:09 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 09m
1 stop
$264Frontier
Thu, May 21 - Sun, May 24
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 8:01 am
MSN
-
SFO
14h 02m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:14 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 14m
1 stop
$270Frontier
Tue, Jul 7 - Thu, Jul 16
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:18 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 19m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 7:10 pm
SFO
-
MSN
11h 10m
1 stop
$290Frontier
Sat, Jun 6 - Sun, Jun 14
Frontier Logo
7:59 pm - 12:23 am
MSN
-
SFO
6h 24m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 6:59 pm
SFO
-
MSN
10h 59m
1 stop
$315Frontier
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Madison to San Francisco flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Madison to San Francisco?

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Madison to San Francisco, 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 Madison to San Francisco is August, where tickets cost $378 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $536 and $506 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Madison to San Francisco, 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 Madison to San Francisco, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 16% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 22 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$105
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 13% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 5% lower on average.
Flight from Madison to San Francisco

When to book flights from Madison to San Francisco

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

  • What liquids can I carry when traveling with United Airlines?

    Like other American carriers, United Airlines adheres to TSA liquid carry-on rules. On your United Airlines flight to SFO, you can bring liquids, gels, and sprays onboard your cabin, provided they are stored in containers with a maximum capacity of 3.4 oz. The containers must be placed in a quart-size, transparent, resealable plastic bag.

  • Can I carry my baby on my lap when traveling with Delta Air Lines?

    If your child is under two, you may travel with him/her on your lap for free. Although a boarding pass is not required for your baby, you must add an infant in your arms to your ticket. Only one infant per adult is allowed on the plane, meaning if you have two, the older one must sit in his own seat, fitted with a child safety seat.

  • Which towns are accessible from San Francisco International Airport?

    The towns near SFO are Millbrae, San Bruno, Hillsborough, South San Francisco, San Mateo, East Bay Pacifica, Daly City, and Burlingame. BART Rail Connect is one of the best public means to get to San Mateo and East Bay. To get to other cities, it’s in your best interest to check if it is served by SamTrans bus.

  • Can I rent a car at San Francisco International Airport?

    Yes, you can, since this airport features counters for Alamo, Budget, Enterprise, National, SIXT, Thrifty, and Dollar. The counters are within the Car Rental Center, accessible from the terminals via the Air Train Blue Line.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Madison to San Francisco was $105 for a one-way ticket and $210 for a round-trip.

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

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Madison to San Francisco. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Madison to San Francisco?

    When flying out of Madison you will be using Madison Truax Field. You will be landing at San Francisco, also known as San Francisco.

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

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

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

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

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

    Chicago is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from Madison to San Francisco.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Madison to San Francisco, Delta or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Madison to San Francisco are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $435 and an overall rating of 7.9, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $459 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Madison to San Francisco.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Madison 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 Madison to San Francisco?

    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 San Francisco with an airline and back to Madison with another airline. Booking your flights between Madison and SFO 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 Madison to San Francisco?

    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 San Francisco from Madison 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 Madison to San Francisco

  • To get to Truax Field (MSN) from Madison, take a taxi or board a metro transit bus. Consider using a cab when looking for the fastest way to get to the airport. On the other hand, when looking for a more convenient and cheaper means of transport, use the metro transit bus. The buses depart from W Johnson & N Park station and arrive at Terminal Door 6 station.
  • When flying from MSN to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), your layover will be determined by the airline you use. You will stop over at Atlanta Hartsfield (ATL) if you take a one-stop Delta Air Lines flight and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) if you hop on a single-stop American Airlines flight. If you board a two-stop United Airlines flight, your layovers will be at Denver (DEN) and Salt Lake City (SLC).
  • If you want to travel with an eco-friendly partner, consider traveling with American Airlines. To reduce its carbon footprint, the airline has implemented effective waste and recycling programs. For instance, every year, it recycles at least 21,000 lbs of aluminum cans that result from its onboard services. It has also revamped its fleet with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft and increased its use of electricity from renewable sources.
  • When traveling with United Airlines, you can carry one carry-on bag and one personal item for free. The carry-on bag must easily fit in the overhead compartment and not exceed measurements of 9 × 13.7 × 22 inches. Your personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and be no bigger than 9 × 10 × 17 inches.
  • You can count on having a smooth experience at MSN if you have limited mobility. It has accessible parking spots in all parking areas, ramps to all its public areas, elevators on the terminal side of each level, a wheelchair system available if you contact your airline for arrangements, and wheelchair-accessible restrooms. To aid visually impaired travelers, it boasts an app service that aids in independent navigation.

Reviews of the top 4 airlines serving from Madison to San Francisco

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Madison to San Francisco. 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 Madison to San Francisco? 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 8458 reviews
7.9Comfort
8.5Crew
7.8Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.2Food
Airline reviews

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

10.0 ExcellentDavid, Apr 2026
DTW - SFO
Read more Delta reviews

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

While they turned off most cabin lights to allow people to sleep, I was bothered by how bright the side lights still were. It was still quite bright for me in a window seat, when I wish I could have slept!

One of the flight attendants was a little cranky. I appreciated the free wifi and plug to charge my laptop

WiFi didn’t work most of the time. The usb chargers would work only occasionally for 5 mins and wouldn’t charge after that. Had to keep trying repeatedly at each of the seats in the row.

The crew bent over backwards to thank us for flying and make us comfortable. The food service was quick and efficient. The Captain communicated and said goodbye and thank you as we departed. They really stood out!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

my mom urmila patel needed a wheelchair which was not available on the curbside. she needed to walk almost 50 meters inside (at the risk of falling) and then had to wait in line to get a wheelchair (this is not ok). Once obtained she had to seat in it for 30-45 minutes for someone to take her in thru the checkin process (which was fairly smooth and easy). the lady who helped her with her checkin process was very courteous and helpful

Staff at the check-in counter were friendly, happy and helpful. They tagged our bags and sent us to “bag drop off” but were not very clear about where that was. The airport was busy we headed off in what we thought was the right direction until a gentleman waved us down and actually came after us. He was the baggage handler for Delta and recognized our “deer in the headlights “ look-he brought us to the right area (which was marked as the Southwest Airlines Drop Off) and sent us on our way. Wonderful guy, low key and working with a big smile on his face. Loved it. Loved him.

Arlene was a great flight attendant. I also liked how one of the other flight attendants gave us a heads up about snacks and asked everyone to remove their headphones when it was their turn to order. Good idea.

I haven’t flown economy in over 20 years but it was not bad. Room by my feet for my bag and seat was roomy enough. Surprised in a good way.

The flight was delayed from take off because only one runway was operational in San Francisco.

Several missed and almost missed connections. It felt like everything was being patched together last minute without enough resources and it ended up being an extremely stressful experience that basically ruined our weekend on the west coast. What a waste.

Checking in united could not figure out my star alliance gold. Baggage did not get marked priority and didn't receive boarding passes. When got to SFO lounge personal fixed everything Immediately

Flight left on time, arrived early, pleasant staff provided water, coffee, etc. access to bathrooms was reasonable and were well maintained. blankets were available, lots of entertainment options. LUGGAGE SERVICE WAS GREAT. I got my one checked bag quickly and was able to make a bus connection for a 2 hour bus ride saving me from waiting another 1.5 hours.

Wonderful in-seat entertainment with seatback screens and huge selection of quality movies. The ability to bluetooth connect headphones was amazing.

Horrible service no Wi-Fi connection on both leg of the flight and they are refusing to fix bad service

I will never fly ANA again. They lost one of my large pieces of checked luggage, the heaviest one with the most valuable items in it, and they said they will not send me an email unless they can't find it, even though the paper they gave me to track the status of my lost luggage requires a code from an email they are supposed to send me so I can do baggage tracing. They claim to be an international airline, but they also insist on calling a Japanese telephone number to confirm where to send the lost baggage if they find it. It is impossible to find an actual contact email address for customer support on their website, and their AI chatbot is unhelpful, directing you to a webpage that says it is for contact information but does not have any actual email addresses or phone numbers listed on it. My seat in economy did not recline at all, even though I was not sitting in an exit row nor the very back row. I had to sit in the fully upright position for over ten hours of international travel. Awful experience overall.

Overall we had a good experience during our flight from San Francisco to Houston.

the whole trip was smooth, and as comfortable as flying is these days. flight crew was friendly and very courteous and helpful.

First class ticket gets you a choice of chips or nuts. . Just like economy Southwest. Also no screen in the seats. This is first class???!

American delayed the flight for a crew rest period. The delay occurred late in the evening - the earliest i can find is 10:20 pm. With a 6 am flight anyone on the flight would have already have been asleep (unless you are insane, a vampire or on drugs) and at least for me i was already on the way to the airport at 445 am the next morning when i discovered they delayed the flight until 9 am. Given the incoming flight was in the air at 6 pm the evening before this should have been figured out a lot more timely that was there only crew to use. Just frustrating given there is no consideration for customer experience anymore in flying.

Flight: Started on time. Comfortable flight. Arrived on time. Crew: Very cordial and helpful. Drinks and snack was served with a smile. Overall enjoyed the trip. Regards, Hari Doss Chanchala Doss

To have arrived on time and not 3 hours late after having already spent $100 to change to an earlier flight, only to arrive back home close to the original flight time.

American Airlines is a miserable experience. It is predictably miserable, in the sense that every time I fly American, I brace myself for the certainty that it will be unpleasant and uncomfortable. But it is unpredictable in the sense that I never know if the flight will be on time or delayed nine hours (both happened to me this week). I never know if I will be able to sit in the seat that I selected when I purchased the ticket or if I will be told by Customer Service (!!!) that I must relocate from first class to a seat in the back of the aircraft with no explanation (both happened to me this week). Will the food be frozen and half defrosted, or scalding hot? Will the drinks be warm? Will the flight attendants be surly and mean? Will the toilets be cramped and foul? Will the seats be narrow and uncomfortable? Will there be a real electric outlet at the seat, or just an unreliable USB-2 port? Will there be enough seats in the boarding lounge or just a few? Will the boarding process be smooth and efficient, or will the gate agents mess it up and delay it needlessly for 30 or 40 minutes? Will the catering and cleaning crew be prompt or will they take an extra 30 minutes? Will the brakes on the aircraft work properly, or will the pilot delay takeoff for four hours while the ground crew attends to what can only be described as routine maintenance that should have been done the night before? I've eexperienced every one of these unpleasant things this year, 2026. The only thing I can reliably count on is that American will find a new way to make the experience of flying as miserable as they possibly can.

Wifi was spotty. Tray table was very dirty when I sat down.

The WiFi would not connect enough for me to do my actual work. It permaspooled, disconnected, said it was connected, then wouldn't open an email... it was frustrating. I am not a tall person, 5'4" - and I felt cramped with little room to reach into my bag under the seat in front of me. I feel sorry for anyone taller than me having to fly. the one positive thing I will add, is the overhead bins are roomy enough to manage more bags than other carriers.

Buying ticket from kayak instant booking was a huge mistake, never to be repeated again! The Kayak didn’t book the tickets directly, it handed it off to a third party Underpricer, that booked a code shared American Airlines flight operated by Cathay Pacific!! When managing the booking American Airlines would recognize the itinerary but wouldn’t let me do anything stating, the flight is operated by Cathay Pacific so go to their website. Cathay Pacific would recognize the itinerary, neither by reservation ID or ticket number…asking to reach out to the third party Underpricer….calling Underpricer resulted in no help like seat requests, mileage number or upgrade request, 15hr layover accommodation voucher guidance…so net in net avoid booking through three layers of intermediaries

Going non stop to lax like I paid for. Not stopping in MCI for gas. Too long of delays

Delayed for mechanical and no updates on what was happening and how long the delay might be.

A first class seat should fit a fat person, and this doesn't. The trays in the armrest are less functional than an ordinary tray in the back of the seat.

Frontier scheduled a 40 minute connection in DEN. What they failed to mention was that they “close the doors” 20 mins prior to departure, which means you only have 20 mins. Not enough time. Possibly against DOT regulations. Filing complaint.

Flight was scheduled at 9:40pm. Got delayed to 10 am, the next day. crazy

The bag check, flight check-in, and onboard experience convinced my wife and me that we will actively go out of our way to avoid flying Frontier Airlines in the future. At bag check, we were informed that check-in could only be completed via the Frontier mobile app. Unfortunately, the app was extremely frustrating—sending us through repetitive, confusing loops that repeatedly forced us to decline add-on services with nearly every click. While most airline apps upsell, this one felt intentionally exhausting. As the process dragged on, we became genuinely concerned that my phone battery would die before check-in could be completed. We approached the bag check staff—who were standing together talking—and explained both our frustration and our predicament. They laughed. Later, my wife described the interaction as “gaslighting,” which felt accurate. We were then informed it would cost $25 per person simply to have our boarding passes printed. From that point forward, the tone of the experience was consistently hostile. The bag check employees were condescending and combative, behaving more like bullies than customer service staff. Unfortunately, that same attitude continued onboard. One flight attendant argued with me when I attempted to stow my backpack in the overhead bin. I explained that we had each paid $75 to check our bags specifically so we would not need to use carry-on space and could have adequate legroom. She demanded to see my ticket, pointed out that it said “no carry-on”—which I acknowledged—and I reiterated that this was precisely why we paid to check our bags. Her response was, “I don’t make the rules.” She then walked away, but not before asking if I “truly wanted to fly back to Chicago today?”—an unnecessary and unmistakable threat. It is also worth noting that despite booking our tickets together in the same transaction, we were not seated together. Upon our return to Chicago—where we could once again sit together—we compared onboard experiences. We both remarked on how unhappy the flight attendants appeared and how each of us was separately asked whether we would like to purchase a beverage. We declined. At no point was water mentioned as an option, leaving us with the clear impression that even water came at a cost—or that complimentary water, if available at all, was deliberately left unmentioned. Overall, the experience was shocking and deeply disappointing, but it was also a profound learning experience—one we will not forget and will not repeat. -Steve

Plane was hot and miserable and the crew was rude!

12 hour delay required getting on and off plane 3 times - would have at least liked to have been offered a snack or drink

They didn’t offer a water, even after I asked

They switched our terminal 3 times and we were delayed for four plus hours!!!

It was an early flight and most people napped/slept and the crew let us which was nice.

The crew acted like they had never done this and kept barking passive aggressive orders at people. + the security line + the delay + sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours + none of the apps or signage updating with correct times

More inflight connection. And leg space is horrible. And the paying for baggage I'd ridiculous!!!

Everything you need to know for your flight from Madison to San Francisco

Information on your arrival and departure airports