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Cheap Flights from New York to San Francisco Bay Area

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$270
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$295
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$270
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$295
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for New York to San Francisco Bay Area flights

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

What is the cheapest New York to San Francisco Bay Area flight route?

The cheapest ticket to San Francisco Bay Area from New York found in the last 5 days was to San Francisco, at $296 round-trip. The most popular route is from New York John F Kennedy Intl Airport (JFK) to San Francisco (SFO), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $296.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to San Francisco Bay Area?

The cheapest time of day to fly to San Francisco Bay Area is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $440 on average. Morning departures are around 6% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to San Francisco Bay Area is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $522.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from New York to San Francisco Bay Area?

No, with an average price for the route of $630, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from New York to San Francisco Bay Area?

The cheapest month for flights from New York to San Francisco Bay Area is January, when tickets cost $329 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and August, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $571 and $557 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from New York to San Francisco Bay Area?

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to San Francisco Bay Area on a Thursday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Sunday is the most expensive day to fly from New York to San Francisco Bay Area. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Wednesday and avoiding Sundays for the best deals.

How far in advance should I book a flight from New York to San Francisco Bay Area?

To get a below average price on the flight from New York to San Francisco Bay Area, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 36% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 26 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$118
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 31% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from New York LaGuardia Airport to Oakland

Flights from New York to San Francisco Bay Area: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from New York to San Francisco Bay Area 
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2026
Expect to leave for JFK 3 hrs prior to flight if traveling by car from Upper West Side. You will want to arrive 1.5 H prior to departure
MitchellFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2026
security access line for Premier access was very reasonable, process was less than 10-15 minutes. Leave time for dropping off a rental car - is a bit of a walk and then AirTrain transfer due to the current construction - so allow time for less stress. take advantage of the tables in the boarding area for charging devices or doing work.
BeverlyFlew with JetBlue-Dec 2025
Wear support socks which helps when you sit for a long time.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Dec 2025
Bring your own food and in flight activity since they don’t supply any.
LuisFlew with Delta-Mar 2025
It’s a long flight, come prepared to either watch movies, read or sleep.
JulieFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
Leave early. JFK can be messy. I couldn’t find healthy food choices so eat before you arrive.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
SFO is one of the most convenient and pleasant airports. When flying Alaska Air make sure to bring your food and a larger water bottle that usual (you get only two drink services (one small cup each) for a 6 hour flight.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2024
The airport food was limited and expensive. Best to bring a sandwich from outside…
SridharFlew with Spirit Airlines-Dec 2023
Fly light. Get seats in front. Make sure you get here before 10 - rental car place closes prior.

FAQs - booking San Francisco Bay Area flights

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from New York to San Francisco Bay Area?

    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 New York to San Francisco Bay Area.

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

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

    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 from New York to San Francisco Bay Area with an airline and back with another airline.

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

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

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from New York to San Francisco Bay Area

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from New York to San Francisco Bay Area? 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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 12925 reviews
7.8Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.0Entertainment
8.5Crew
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Horrible! There was a really rude flight attendant and the aircraft smelled like poop the entire time. Will never fly Alaska airlines again

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Sep 2026
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Horrible! There was a really rude flight attendant and the aircraft smelled like poop the entire time. Will never fly Alaska airlines again

Takeoff was late over an hour. Internet was not working. Landing was so hard I bounced in my seat.

Alaska Airlines cancelled my flight the night before and then waited hours to let me know that they rebooked me on a flight 2 days later

I was very impressed at how Alaska Airlines handles people with medical needs.

The check-in crew for Alaska was rude, unhelpful, and the opposite of customer-centric. We arrived 50 minutes before our flight and were told it was too late to check baggage. When I asked what the cutoff was, the agent started speaking in codes “D50” and yelling to their manager who also spoke in codes. They then tried to speak to me using these codes and all I wanted to know was the time of the cutoff, which they would not — or could not — articulate. They booked me and my family on the next flight while smirking.

The boarding process could be clearer, there's never a call for group f

good, no complaints but nothing to rave about. It was fine

I paid $168 each for myself and my daughter for an upgrade and we didn’t get any of the things mentioned by you/ site that comes with an upgrade. It was all just the same. One snack and one beverage. Nothing else. I don’t understand what the upgrade was.

I don’t think Alaska coordinates with Kayak. I did not get a “check-in” email inviting me to check in 24 hours in advance. Had to wait 20+ minutes to get a wheel chair.

Overall the flight was on-time and plane ride very comfortable. The free snacks not so good - only a small bag of pretzels and no milk. I wanted milk. There was not entertainment on the plane unless I wanted to download their APP. But I would consider flying with them again and be more prepared on my part with food and entertainment.

Both of my flights to and from JFK experienced significant delays. Most notably, my first flight was delayed by six hours due to crew members being affected by delays on a previous flight. While I understand that disruptions can occur, Delta’s staffing and operational planning should include sufficient contingency measures to handle situations like this rather than placing the full burden of those delays on customers. Additionally, the $12 meal voucher offered as compensation was inadequate, particularly given the high cost of food and beverages at the airport. Considering the length of the delay and the substantial inconvenience caused, I believe more meaningful compensation would have been appropriate.

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!

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

There’s not much to say about a one hour flight. This is a connection from LA to RNO that I missed the previous night due to a mechanical check delay on my originating flight from JFK to LAX. The short flight itself was fine. Instructions from the pilot and crew were per usual. The coffee was barely lukewarm, which possibly was purposeful so we would down it quickly. Bags were already on carousel upon reaching baggage claim, which was excellent.

They double booked seats, the gate staff changed my ticket as I was boarding she went over to the computer and changed it without telling me. She messed up an entire three row section for me and others. Other travelers were outraged but the gate staff were so rude, so condescending saying it wasn't their problem to solve. I would rate this a zero if I could. Will not fly Delta again I'll stick with United and American.

Not a "Delta" issue, but a JFK issue: We booked a connecting flight with 3 1/2 hours between to clearn immigration and customs. Our inbound flight (BCN to JFK) was on the taxiway 45 minutes which ate into our layover time. Immigtration was insanely quick with the CBP MPC app; however, clearing TSA (again, after we were ALREADY cleared in Spain on the inbound international flight) took over 95 minutes. This left us with 10 minutes before boarding the connecting flight (JFK to SAN) to walk to the far end of Terminal 4 and try to find food. We didn't find any food that could promise to serve us in under 10 minutes so we boarded the Delta flight after coming off a plance and an 8-hour flight knowing that we wouldn't be served any food on the next 5 1/2 hour flight. I feel like Delta needs to put pressure on the JFK TSA to open more screening stations (by our count, we saw only 5 scanners open and a line of - as we said - over 90 minutes. The insult is that we WERE ALREADY SCREENED through TSA, but as you come off one flight into the USA, you have to go through the whole process again. It seems like if you have a connecting flight, there should be a way to pass through immigration and customs without needing to return through TSA.

The entertainment and wifi mostly didn't work on this flight.

Terrible entertainment system - kept freezing and audio kept cutting out. Snacks were mediocre at best for a 5 hour flight.

I am still upset that my bag was lost on a recent trip to Rome ; we were inconvenienced and out €150 Euros ; delta has refused to reimburse us

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.

Plane boarded early a quickly, was mostly full. We left close to on time. And landed early.

Flight was timely, relatively comfortable, with decent entertainment and food served. Only problem encountered was with the free messaging which I highly appreciate, but it did not work from iphone to non-iphones.

Generally good. The aisles have gotten narrower which can slow down boarding. Flight crew was great! Healthier complimentary snacks would be appreciated. Due to earthquake in San Francisco we had to circle in air space for a bit but then had a smooth landing. I laud the flight crew for their patience ;)

Everything good until we waited for jet bridge at SFO. Then pilot gets on speaker & said it won’t reach plane- too short, need to go to different gate. Then 5 min later, adjusted plane/jetbridge & all ok?!?

Haven’t used United in a while. Was surprised with the free blanket and earphones. Service was great. Huge plane. 9/.row.

Boarding was efficient. Crew was not pleasant and skipped me during a round of beverage service. Older plane with no seat back screens and I couldn’t connect to wifi or their entertainment offerings.

Delays, excuses, delays, and more delays. This company is BROKEN.

The in-flight entertainment options were great. I always appreciate a seat back TV on a domestic flight. However, there were issues with a computer system that were discovered after we had boarded that caused repeated delays, and eventually we had to deplane. I liked that United texted me a $30 food voucher for the inconvenience, but it caused me to miss my dinner plans in West Hollywood that night. Once we were in the air, everything was fine though.

I liked the ease of dropping my bags off at the convenient quick drop. I like the in-flight entertainment. Plenty of options to choose. The meal selection is great. I did not like the tiny seat width in economy plus. I sat between to men and we all felt compromised when we had to negotiate our elbows throughout the 5+ hour flight from EWR. We we all very uncomfortable.

5 hours delay - minimum communication, no compensation, no support from Airline. Terrible customer experience

Old dirty plane but great lie flat seats in business class

Great. Clean. Seats comfortable. Food was free. Had new release movies.

I don’t like the music section but I believe it was a cost decision. I changed my flight last minute due to work issues and had to sit way in the back. The seats were way closer together than I would have preferred.

The flight attendant was very polite and attentive. The food was good.

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

Great. Quick and quiet and east. The breakfast choices were a welcome surprise!

This was a horrible experience. For a first class experience, my chair was held together by 3M tape - and I have a photo. The crew weren’t very attentive, somewhat dismissive and forgot my drink and snack, the chair reclined about 3 inches on a 6-hour cross country flight. I was also not informed that there was no lounge available in Newark airport because of renovations, so all around this was one of the worst experiences and I would actively avoid both American and Alaska Air going forward.

Extraordinary service in business class, and very good breakfast and snacks. A really lovely flight.

Nothing really nondescript, the flight attendants were friendly and helpful.

The plane was filthy and worn - the seat pockets were stuffed with tattered food and torn pamphlets. The cleaning crew that came on as we were deboarding were grabbing handfulls of trash and perfunctorily wiping down tables with dishrags. It's been a while since I flew Jetblue and it used to be a great experience. After this flight I will avoid flying Jetblue again if there is any alternative.

JFK is the worst airport and JetBlue is the worst airline

A more comfortable seat. Padding would be really helpful but I've read the airlines don't want customers to be satisfied with economy seats.

Everything was good except checking bags . I had paid for two bags but it didn’t show so we had to do it again while people waited and we were struggling to get to our flight

The security line at JFK was one of the longest I’ve ever experienced - probably 45 minutes. I don’t know if JetBlue has control over it, but it detracted from the overall experience. Entertainment had good options, but the volume control was a bit small to tap on and the screen had a fair amount of interference blips. Clearer picture would have been better.

Kayak sucked. You gave me a confirmation number that was not useable by the jet blue system. Nor did you send any check in emails. I’ll not be using your site again. Nice work.

Crew were fantastic and so catering and wonderful! Full score for the entire crew!

Communication with the customer and stay is important. Staff off with a minor inconvenience but it worked out of course. Also this was a very old Mint Class plane. They snuck this one in on us. The updated aircraft are much better.

The flight itself was fine, but the boarding process was extremely frustrating. There is no one scanning boarding passes - passengers just scan themselves and enter the jetway. By the time my husband and I got on the plane and were halfway to our seats they determined there were too many bags on the plane and everything at that point needed to be checked. This created a lot of unnecessary chaos. They should have alerted people before getting on the plane that they would need to start checking bags instead of waiting until people were already on the plane.

It took an hour to get my bag after landing. Not exaggerating

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