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Cheap Flights from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
Sort by: Cheapest
Los Angeles
1h 15mNonstop
from $50per person
Ontario
1h 26mNonstop
from $60per person
Las Vegas
1h 25mNonstop
from $60per person
Santa Ana
1h 32mNonstop
from $124per person
Seattle
1h 56mNonstop
from $137per person
Dallas
3h 34mNonstop
from $172per person
Chicago
4h 10mNonstop
from $256per person
New York
5h 35mNonstop
from $297per person
Explore the map
Useful Info

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$34
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 1% lower on average.
Flight from San Francisco to Ontario

Flights from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States 
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2026
Develop a list of essentials, prepare for 3 or 4 interchangeable outfits, 2 pairs of shoes and try not to overpack!
BelindaFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2026
I prefer Oakland over SFO. I liked the self-check for my suitcase for the bag drop . Getting through security went smoothly. It would have been really nice to know my boarding time was 1/2 hour later than on my app. I only found out that boarding was 1/2 hour late after rushing to the gate. I would have had time to go to my airport club had I known. Bag pick up at JFK was fast once I got to baggage claim, that was great
CherylFlew with United Airlines-Jul 2026
Don’t take a bottle of Korbel in your carry on! It has to be checked.
TylerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2026
Don't leave hungry. No food on these short flights.
Verified travelerFlew with JetBlue-Aug 2026
My most frequent trip is between JFK and SFO on Jet Blue. Food options at SFO are amazing, but expensive. Sadly, getting through security at JFK is a hassle and takes an incredibly long time. Give yourself plenty of time. Also, when I arrived at JFK around midnight, there was no place to get food and I was disappointed to learn that I needed to take the air train all the way out to Howard Beach to get an Uber.
TaylorFlew with Alaska Airlines-Aug 2026
Don’t fly into SFO. Try Oakland instead with the construction that’s happening.
Mary KayFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2026
Alaska is excellent with many options between SoCal and NoCal. Being able to fly into Santa Rosa was a great option to avoid the hectic pace of other airports. Palm Springs and Santa Rosa are great secondary airports to use.
HartajFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2026
My main tip is to allow a bit of extra time at SFO, since the airport is currently undergoing renovations. It is nothing unmanageable, but giving yourself a little buffer can help avoid delays.
EricFlew with Delta-Mar 2026
SFO TSA agents is not affected by the government shutdown, so the airport is functioning as normal. No need to arrive too early.
MartaFlew with Alaska Airlines-Mar 2026
Security is fast. It is run by a private company and not TSA. Lines move quickly. Immigration/customs is a smooth operation.
MFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2026
Newark terminal B is probably the worst in the country. Allow yourself plenty of time a patience
GregFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jan 2026
Upgrade to first class for free checked bags, priority boarding and half off the SFO lounge for not that much extra
PhilipFlew with Alaska Airlines-Feb 2026
Taking a flight with a smaller plane was pleasant, fewer passengers and.easier boarding and disembarking.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Dec 2025
Bid on an upgrade seat if you can, I was pleased with my upgrade.
MitchellFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2026
United had a direct flight to RDU - worked out well just need to manage food timing as arriving in RDU after 9 PM, very limited availability for healthy food. rental car transfer at RDU went very smoothly
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jan 2026
If you want a better experience, fly non stop. American has a superior wireless connection experience. Delays appear to be the norm. Book two hours between flights minimum. Check your bags.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2025
Oakland is a nice small airport. Getting through security was a breeze with TSA precheck. We did have to stand in line for about 20minutes to drop bags as there were no agents at the counter. I had the most delicious crispy Al pastore taco near face 14
ElenaFlew with United Airlines-Jun 2025
Construction in the terminal so allow for extra time in SFO. Very easy finding luggage and getting outside at Newark. Also, this time, took the Express Bus into Manhattan - $25 is a good price, though the bus arrived 20 minutes after the scheduled time.
MaryannFlew with United Airlines-Mar 2025
Bring your own food with you. Airport and airline food is expensive and you WILL need something to eat on such a long flight.
Verified travelerFlew with Spirit Airlines-Mar 2025
Check in online, bring a backpack as a personal item!
GeraldFlew with American Airlines-May 2025
SJC is physically a smaller airport. The gates are closer and TSA has shorter lines, They are not subject to weather delays as much as SFO. On the other hand SFO offers more flight options, both in the number of flights each airlines flies and the number of airlines serving the airport.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2025
Get there early, you may have to walk to a different terminal
LawrenceFlew with United Airlines-May 2025
Get to your gate early!!! Very little seating at/near gates 19, 20, 21 and 22. The last couple of flights, American boarding (very different gates) has been very straightforward. The last time on United, boarding at gate 19 was bedlam. Really going to look hard before scheduling on United next time!!!
William DrewFlew with Southwest-Dec 2024
If you're flying from San Jose, arrive at the airport early. You never know how long the line at TSA will be. If you have time, the airport has well-designed facilities and reasonable priced restaurants. The Southwest ground staff is professional and will help you through the check-in and cattle call boarding process
SarahFlew with Alaska Airlines-Feb 2025
Go early in the day so if your flight is canceled, you might have better alternatives than I did when my 12:30 flight was canceled.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jan 2025
Use the lounge access at the discounted rate. It was very nice.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Dec 2024
Prepare for a long walk from the arrival gate to baggage claim and transportation away from the airport.
ericFlew with Air New Zealand-Jan 2025
At least two hour connection Buy food pre-flight
Verified travelerFlew with Spirit Airlines-Nov 2024
Make sure to arrive at the airport early. On my recent flight from LAX to San Jose, the plane departed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. It seemed like all passengers were on board, and the aircraft was ready for takeoff.
ThuFlew with Southwest-Oct 2024
Oakland is a great airport to fly in and out of. Long term park is very reasonable.
GeraldFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
Book a flight as early in the day as possible to avoid incoming flight delays.
MohammadFlew with Spirit Airlines-Sep 2024
The TSA process is very short and quick. No need to come 2 hours ahead.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
An hour before flight was enough time for departing from Santa Rosa. (I doubt anyone is at the airport and working at 4:30am).
Verified travelerFlew with Southwest-Nov 2024
The transit through the Las Vegas airport required such a long walk. Be sure your carry on luggage has wheels.
StevenFlew with Southwest-Oct 2024
Take later flight out side of the hotel check in time. Lines are terrible. Travel light.
FSFlew with Hawaiian Airlines-Oct 2024
Bring your own headset, else you need to pay for some, if you need them.
William DrewFlew with Alaska Airlines-Nov 2024
Arrive at least two hours before your flight.
JamesFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
It’s pretty simple there. It’s one of the better airports.TSA has never been a problem for me there it moves and is mostly efficient… I was happy that we didn’t have to takeoff our shoes, which surprised me. They’re always seems to be long walk to the gates coming and going not sure why that is
BrookeFlew with Delta-Jun 2024
Book early for the best price. Upgrade if you can. Sun country is a more consistent experience but delta has better in-flight entertainment.
IreneFlew with Southwest-Jun 2024
Arrive a least 1 hour before boarding if you’re checking bags. Light layers due weather variation
JohnjimyFlew with ANA-Aug 2024
Layover from NRT(JPN), to SFO (US), to LAX(US) Easy if you are a United States Citizen, when you go to US Border & Customs, bring your Passport if you arrive Internationally. Remember to pick up your check baggage before moving into domestic flights, as they will check the tag for the plane you are boarding in. (They will check your baggage again). Bring your ID/DL (Real-ID COMPLIANT) with you to pass security/TSA, passport works too. SFO is pretty strict as well as LAX.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2024
It is a very crowded flight, so I advice to choose seats in advance. We didn’t have that option and that was the only complaint I’d have because they put us in the middle seats and we both wanted aisle seats. My sister was able to switch but I wasn’t. She was switched to the back, almost to the last row.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
SFO ~ most convenient People should prepare themselves for cold temperature inside the cabin, bring coat/jacket and food in case flight is delayed.
NancyFlew with United Airlines-Aug 2024
Bring your own food, shorten your legs by about 4-5" and bring your own entertainment that is not relying on any internet.
FatimaFlew with Frontier-Jun 2024
Frontier requires 3hr preflight check in even on domestic flights
RobertFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
Bring some food on board for the flight
JulieFlew with Southwest-Jun 2024
Avoid flying into LAX. It’s a nightmare. Baggage claim took 40 minutes. And then the shuttle to the car rental place took an hour because there are two shuttles. The first is a local bus that makes a stop at every seven terminals and then it takes you to another place where you have to wait for your smaller shuttle to the car rental place.
BryanFlew with American Airlines-Aug 2024
Don't count on wheelchair assistance, particularly if you have a short connection and different terminals. DFW is HUGE and the assistance program is a disaster.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Mar 2024
Get TSA PRE and CLEAR. Life will be easy.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2024
If you fly in the afternoon, get seats n the right side of the plan because the glare of the sun is pretty bad
JoonwonFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2024
The airplane is a quite small one, compared to the regular size, so pls be ready for some restrictions on carry on bags.
KateFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2024
Fly in the morning when it’s not windy.
SidFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2024
wear layers as you never know if you will be cold or hot (with non-functional vents).
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Feb 2024
Book directly from the airline and/or get refundable tickets.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States?

    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 Bay Area to the United States.

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

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

    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 San Francisco Bay Area to the United States 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 San Francisco Bay Area to the United States?

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

  • Which airlines fly most frequently to the United States?

    San Francisco Bay Area and United States are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are United Airlines (1,842 flights per week), Air New Zealand (1,293 flights per week), and Virgin Australia (984 flights per week).

  • How many airports are there in the United States?

    There are 573 airports in the United States. The busiest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL), with 8% of all flights arriving there.

  • Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in the United States?

    Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in the United States is San Diego Airport (SAN), with an average flight price of $142.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to the United States?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to the United States is Friday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $480. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $608 on average.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to the United States?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to the United States is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $486 on average. Morning departures are around 3% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to the United States is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $533.

  • What is the cheapest flight to the United States?

    The cheapest ticket to the United States from San Francisco Bay Area found in the last 5 days was to Los Angeles, at $59 round-trip. The most popular route is Oakland (OAK) to Los Angeles (LAX) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $59.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States?

    The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States is October, when tickets cost $204 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $264 and $253 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States?

    To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 34% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 24 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to the United States?

    From San Francisco Bay Area, there are direct flights to the United States from 2 cities. The city with the most direct flights is San Francisco, with 11,611 direct flights each week.

  • How many direct flights to the United States are there each day?

    There are around 1,902 direct flights from within San Francisco Bay Area to the United States every day. Most flights (45%) depart in the morning.

  • How many direct flights to the United States are there each week?

    Each week there are around 13,314 direct flights from within San Francisco Bay Area to the United States. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 17% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to the United States?

    An average nonstop flight from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States takes 4h 03m, covering a distance of 1581 miles. The shortest route is San Francisco (SFO) to Burbank (BUR) with an average flight time of 1h 14m.

  • How many long-haul flights are there to the United States each week?

    Each week, there are 4,449 medium-haul flights (3-6 hour flight duration) and 8,865 short-haul flights (up to 3 hour flight duration) to the United States. There aren't any long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration).

  • What are the most popular destinations in the United States?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is New York (47% of total searches to the United States). The next most popular destinations are Los Angeles (5%) and Seattle (5%). Searches for flights to Las Vegas (5%), to Washington, D.C. (4%) and to Dallas (3%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco Bay Area to the United States? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4190 reviews
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.0Food
Airline reviews

had to check bag at gate when there was still overhead bin space. As usual the WIFI didn't really work.

6.0 GoodAnonymous, Sep 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

had to check bag at gate when there was still overhead bin space. As usual the WIFI didn't really work.

The Southwest airline was ok. A big thank you to Kayak team (David), who worked with me on Sunday afternoon to rebook my travel from Burbank, CA, to CVG. My original flight on Sunday was delayed, so I had to cancel Sunday flight and rebook my travel to Monday. Could not have done it without help from David from Kayak team. Ante Soda GE Aerospace

Seated at front bulkhead for a smidge extra leg room away from home and on flight back home. Away crew was very proactive about assuring our carryons had space close behind us (because no seat in front of us our personal items had to be in a small bin overhead). They actively required passengers place overhead luggage on its side so more items could fit in bins. Home crew made no such efforts. I had to struggle back rows to get overhead bags upon landing, no crew help then either, and some disgruntled passengers as I and others retrieved our bags. There was a system that worked pretty well. The home bound crew just didn't feel like working.

Red eye from San Diego. Temperature of the cabin was way too warm and the air duct flowed very little air.

I think Southwest is the number one airline that anyone can fly I have flown for the first time Frontier and what a joke and their customer service United was a very strange experience I'm only sticking to Southwest from here on out for sure

Great job Southwest! My family doesn't fly often but we felt safe the whole time.

Flight was delayed, full flight and I had to change gates. Southwest flights are always late later in the day.

Was fine, delayed and feels like southwest is always late

The entire experience from boarding to landing was amazing! The crew were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

Delayed flight, lack of information, boarding process is a mess as is the carryon luggage causing issues when leaving the plane….just a poor experience.

No communication on fact flight was delayed. Sat in sweltering plane for 45 min without explanation. Sat on airplane without explanation again after landing.understand delays happen but lack of communication and concern for my lost time was disappointing

Low cost, but I think I really wanted an aisle seat, and I could not easily get one. The return leg might be easier.

This was the best flight I’ve ever been on- solely for the purpose that our pilot gave us a tour of the west coast. He didn’t need to do that but he did and it made the experience spectacular. Well done.

Seat didn’t recline at all- very uncomfortable after three hours

Trip from SNA to SFO and back was riddled with DELAYS.

Very good. Plane was newly renovated so everything was very clean

Flight there was massively delayed but never updated on the app. Flight home was massively delayed but also never reported until after we arrived at the airport.

I love the service! I was hoping they would keep the Ontario to Santa Rosa route.

Service OK except could not make out much of what the pilot said when making announcements. Wish they would have had seat back screens. Charging ports were conveniently located. Overall very average experience. Far from the best, but I've had worse.

Gate agent and flight crew were amazing! Only issue was landing and waiting on the run way for 30 mins to deplane.

awesome team work seen since on board till off plane in my destination. thanks you so much.

Flight was on time, clean, etc. Despite connecting to your wi fi I was unable to use your app to watch entertainment.

Boarding, time to take off, in flight offerings, and staff were all great. I recommend using UA for this short flight.

This was an auto-rebook due to being delayed from an earlier UA connecting flight. The boarding was fine, but they sat me in a middle seat when my original booking was a window seat. Overall, the flight was fine as it still got me to my final destination.

The flight out of Fresno boarded 1.5 hour past scheduled and made me miss my connecting flight from SFO to SEA.

I missed the flight due to maintenance issues. This is the second flight I’ve missed in four days because United allows such little time between layovers. Very disappointing

My return flight to Honolulu (UA 1170) was on a 777-200. I’d forgotten the weird seating arrangement in first-class (2-2-2); I was in 1B, so I faced the passenger in 1C. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the flight computer, so we left LA an hour late (6:05pm). The meal I chose was Korean BBQ Glazed short rib. It was served with a nice salad and fried rice. This meal was better than breakfast on the outgoing leg. All in all, a decent flying experience. Ratings: 777: 3.75, food: 3.5, service: 5 (out of 5).

Sitting in coach even in the larger leg space is extremely uncomfortable and the staff pay no attention.

The back to back mechanical delays from Denver to San Diego and then on my return flight from Denver to Great Falls it added extra time both ways

Flight was late, the only reason I almost missed my flight was that my connection was also late.

Had to pay for WiFi, delayed start, and sat on the runway forever.

On time and stellar premium class service. Not liking non LCD display in seat backs - miss the convenience of not using your own device.

It was my first time flying with Alaska Airlines and it was a pleasure!

Plane had mechanical issues. We had to de plane and board a different plane and were an hour late

More space for economy, and the bathroom size is only for people with size XS

We enjoy the professionalism and cleanliness of the staff and aircraft. We are grateful to the experiences pilots and flight crew

Our experience with American Airlines was extremely disappointing and honestly made an already exhausting international journey much worse. After flying all the way from Melbourne and dealing with significant jet lag, the American Airlines experience at LAX was the last thing we needed. The terminal and boarding area felt very old and uncomfortable, with little to no air conditioning and only old fans running in the area. Boarding was also through outdoor stairs rather than a jet bridge, which felt especially inconvenient after such a long journey. Even though we were traveling First Class, the onboard experience was surprisingly poor. There were no meaningful snack options, no decent coffee available to order, and the aircraft was so small that there was barely enough overhead space for carry-on luggage. The staff experience was also disappointing and lacked the warmth or attentiveness we had experienced on our international flights. To make matters worse, the flight departed late, extending an already very long travel day. Overall, the combination of the outdated terminal, uncomfortable boarding process, limited First Class service, small aircraft, poor staff experience, and delay made this an extremely unpleasant final leg of our journey. It significantly worsened our exhaustion and jet lag rather than making the connection home easier. Unfortunately, this experience was bad enough that I do not plan to travel with American Airlines again in the future.

I was so hungry. No meals. Staff very nice. Seat arms armed too tight and didn’t go up. I was scheduled for First class, but was put on Standby, even though I made my reservation a while ago. Thank you.

Gate 461 the worst in LAX Boarding lacks professionalism And as usual, your food sucks.

Flight attendant made the flight very enjoyable. He was courteous and gave great care to the passengers

The seats are tiny and they don’t recline. The planes are dirty and very small. You have to pay for carry on and even the personal item that you’re allowed is smaller than with other airlines. Flights are usually delayed and there’s no screens or any amenities or entertainment.

I really didn't like anything. Paid for my checked luggage online ($79) and then was told that I would have to paid another $79 for my carry on. Was not allowed to enter the terminal until 3 hours before my flight and when I finally was allowed to check my bag and enter, my flight was delayed 3 times. When I finally landed, we were all instructed to "run off the plane" as they had to do a quick turn around to Las Vegas. Me and several of my flying companions will never fly Frontier again.

It was awful ....my first time flying on it and I will NEVER fly it again ....everything about it was terrible .....most especially the flight attendants

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

Remind customers of the need to have passport or new ID for boarding.

The flight never took off and we spent 7 hours at the airport

It was ok. It was expensive to check 2 bags ($75.00 per bag), and then it took a long time to wait for shuttle to take us from one terminal to the terminal where the plane was taking off at LAX. And all of this for a flight where we had to pay for any food or drink that was not water.

When I wanted to check in 3 hours prior to boarding time, the employees mentioned “a little over an hour delay” so I waited for an hour then I went to go look for food in the terminal and most people from that flight were in the same area looking for food. Finally I decided after food to check to see if it’s anytime closer and now it’s 2 mins until boarding closes?! What are you kidding me? I didn’t receive anything via sms about boarding now nor via email or on the intercom. I luckily made it through, barely, and then there’s no room for my carry on mind you I’m in the very first row so I had to place my purse in one further row back and my carry on sections down. Not sure who pays for better seats to get your stuff placed all over the plane but that was the worst experience I’ve ever had flying with anyone.

This airline sucks. They offer low rates then charge you for everything, the app does not work well, the seats are the most uncomfortable. Maintenance issues on the flight, and you still have to sit through their credit card commercials. People are nice enough but does not make up for overall poor experience.

Cancelled flight after I arrived at airport after 75 min drive and parking. Next flight was 4 days in the future. Had to scramble and buy a much more expensive flight on another carrier.

More options for your flight to the United States

Complete your trip to the United States with a hotel stay or car rental