$58 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad - Compare and Save

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 Carlsbad departing on 7/29. 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

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$92
Typical prices: $118-$235
Frontier
Thu 8/6Mon 8/10
SFO - LAX • Non-stop
Cheapest one-way
$58
Typical prices: $85-$145
Frontier
Wed 7/29
SFO - LAX • Non-stop
Arrival airport
You can't fly directly to Carlsbad. It is served by Los Angeles (LAX), located 81.6 miles from Carlsbad.
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Flight Deals
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad (SFO-LAX)

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

Thu, Aug 6 - Mon, Aug 10
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:54 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 31mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:52 pm - 9:25 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 33mnonstop
$92Frontier
Wed, Jul 29 - Sat, Aug 1
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:43 pm - 11:21 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 38mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$93Multiple Airlines
Wed, Jul 15 - Sat, Jul 18
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$94Frontier
Wed, Jul 15 - Thu, Jul 16
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$95Frontier
Tue, Jul 28 - Thu, Jul 30
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$96Frontier
Wed, Jul 22 - Fri, Jul 24
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$97Frontier
Fri, Jul 17 - Wed, Jul 22
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$98Frontier
Wed, Aug 26 - Sat, Aug 29
Multiple Airlines Logo
10:06 am - 11:38 am
SFO
-
LAX
1h 32mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:07 pm - 8:40 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 33mnonstop
$99Multiple Airlines
Tue, Jul 21 - Sat, Jul 25
Frontier Logo
8:23 pm - 9:59 pm
SFO
-
LAX
1h 36mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:07 pm - 8:45 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 38mnonstop
$100Frontier
Sat, Aug 15 - Mon, Aug 17
Multiple Airlines Logo
10:15 am - 11:44 am
SFO
-
LAX
1h 29mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:52 pm - 9:25 pm
LAX
-
SFO
1h 33mnonstop
$101Multiple Airlines
Useful Info

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$58
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 2% lower on average.
Flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles

When to book flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Carlsbad based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price

Flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from San Francisco to Carlsbad 
IreneFlew with Southwest
SFO
-
LAX
Jun 2024
Arrive a least 1 hour before boarding if you’re checking bags. Light layers due weather variation
JohnjimyFlew with ANA
SFO
-
LAX
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.
FatimaFlew with Frontier
SFO
-
LAX
Jun 2024
Frontier requires 3hr preflight check in even on domestic flights
JulieFlew with Southwest
SFO
-
LAX
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.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad

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

    When flying out of San Francisco you’ll be using San Francisco. Carlsbad does not have its own airport so you’ll be flying into nearby Los Angeles airport, which is 81.6 mi away.

  • How long does a flight from San Francisco to Carlsbad take?

    Direct flights cover the 337 miles separating San Francisco and Carlsbad in about 1h 20m.

  • How many flights are there between San Francisco and Carlsbad?

    186 direct flights run between San Francisco and Carlsbad on a daily basis. On average, there are about 1,308 departures each week.

  • What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly between San Francisco and Carlsbad?

    Consider leaving on a Monday and avoid Saturdays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to San Francisco, you’ll find the best rates on Tuesdays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

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

    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 Carlsbad.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad?

    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 Carlsbad 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 Carlsbad?

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

  • Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad?

    In the last 5 days, the cheapest one-way ticket between San Francisco and Carlsbad found on KAYAK was with Frontier for $30. Frontier offered a round-trip connection from $52 and Delta from $74.

Top tips for finding cheap flights from San Francisco to Carlsbad

  • There is no airport in Carlsbad. Instead, you’ll be flying into Los Angeles Airport when flying between San Francisco and Carlsbad.
  • The cheapest flight from San Francisco to Carlsbad was found 69 days before departure, on average.
  • Book at least 3 weeks before departure in order to get a below-average price.
  • High season is considered to be February, March and April. The cheapest month to fly is September.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving San Francisco to Carlsbad

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Carlsbad? 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 12589 reviews
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.0Entertainment
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Not able to get boarding pass for domestic connection flight when check in at international airport. I was told I need to get connection flight boarding pass after I entered US. It us very inconvenient.

6.0 GoodVI, Jun 2026
SFO - SAN
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Not able to get boarding pass for domestic connection flight when check in at international airport. I was told I need to get connection flight boarding pass after I entered US. It us very inconvenient.

Four hour delay. Missed our event. And they offered me $75. Absolutely shameful.

I have been flying commercial for decades. I was in one of the ladder boarding groups, had my bag tagged because they thought there was not going to be enough space for it in the overhead bins. I politely asked one of the attendance if I could try to find a space- she said I could and I did. I then took the bag tag off and gave it to one of the other attendants as I was told to do by the first one. He, in a curt, anal, and disrespectful manner, told me that I needed to take my bag down from the overhead bin and check it. This was a situation I’ve never encountered before. The attendant’s attitude was confrontational and belittling in front of other onlooking passengers as if daring me to challenge him. I am a physician who takes care of patients day in and day out. Not wanting to make a scene, I calmly told him, “do what you need to do.” he took my bag down from the overhead bin, put the back tag back on it, and checked it only to make room for another bag that was also supposed to be technically checked by a following passenger. The same male attendant later came up to me and said “you shouldn’t have showed me the bag tag,” as if conveying that he was just following protocol was a justification for treating me like a kid out of line. I cared about this because it took 15 minutes from my life to then retrieve the bag at baggage claim and it also felt like really poor customer service. I understand the need for protocols. This is also a service industry, and we the passengers are the clients. We should be made to feel welcome and respected and our life in transit made as easy as it can be within reason. This attendant clearly needs to be reminded of that. Of note, an older female fellow passenger sitting next to me agreed with this assessment.

I love Alaska! We arrived on the later side without seat assignments only to find the had oversold the flight by 1. The attendants worked extra hard to find a way for our party of 7 to stay together and we made it on the flight! Loved the free WiFi also!

The he whole flight was very smooth on every aspects.

I paid for wifi and it never worked... it was miserable. I couldn't access my shared files to work on the plane, it didn't work on my phone. I paid for nothing but frustration and continual refreshing, hoping it would work

The flight was excellent and very friendly and helpful staff. Will travel again and recommend to friends. Thank you

Did not have In flight service on my round trip due to turbulence. I did not partake in In flight entertainment. Flight descending into LAX was very turbulent. It would have been nice if the pilot communicated with us during that rough descent into LAX to ease the minds of some of us more nervous flyers.

They canceled my flight with only a couple hours before checking in at the airport and offered no alternatives to get home.

The ground crew did not supply drink or snacks during the layover in SFO. So there weren't many options. Otherwise, it was all great.

Flight delayed four separate times. I’m now one hour hours late to landing.

The plane was an older model, so it wasn’t as comfortable as others. The flight attendants were not helpful during onboarding. It was a full flight so there was chaos finding space for baggage.

Awesome! On time flight, early arrival, and a complimentary upgrade!

Delta’s staff is unmatched. From the gate agents, to the pilots, to the flight attendants… all top of the industry.

Our flight from SFO to MSP was right on time on 11/15/2025. No delays. As we approached MSP at about 8 pm, we circled in the air until 8:40 pm so I don't call that efficient for MSP. I think the captain should announce the delay and why. (as if we all don't know that we are just circling around the area, slowing down, speeding up, slowing down.) Thank you. Marilyn Fischer

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

Thank you for not flipping the plane on the run way. You guys get a 5 star rating for the flight!!!

Boarding is, as it always is… horrible. Gate lice. Slow moving zones. Too many people with carry ons

New boarding doesn't make sense. Filling front first is slow.

You need to be a hacker to get the (Free) WiFi

Lost one piece of luggage even though I checked in 2.5 hours before the flight

Outstanding service, efficient & friendly crew, flight was safe, comfortable & on time

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

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

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

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.

Flight was delayed due to the late arrival of the catering truck, which is quite unacceptable. There was a beverage service, but no pretzel, or cookie, or nuts were served in coach.

Airline did not explain reasons why flight was delayed two hours. Explanations were badly needed and rarely provided. Problem seemed to clearly be the airline’s fault and not the fault of the weather or airport.

I was delighted that we were able to get on the 4:40 pm flight rather than our original booking at 6:55 pm!! Other than that, the flight was comfortable and landed early😊

How they treated my luggage was horrible. And foods are not edible… Flight attendants were not listening my request. Etc

Flight was delayed multiple times without giving any particular reason and the only thing that was communicated was that 'Aircraft is getting ready'. I was stuck at SFO airport for 15 hours and finally took Southwest Airlines flight back home to Dallas.

I was not clear if food was offered or not.

Agency very bad had to cancelled my booking too many changes in the flight changed my flight to 1 week

Take-off delayed an hour because of a missing flight officer, so,arrived in Charlotte lates causing many passengers to miss connections. Otherwise a very good flight, safe and comfortable, with an excellent professional crew.

The SFO Lounge crew were amazing. The bartender Faris was great. Thanks!

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

Dloght delayed by 2.5 hrs . Common theme in my last four american floghts

The chicken wrap was tiny ($13 for what looked like a 1/3 of a normal wrap?) and disgusting.

We flew in first class. The crew did not offer drinks before the flight took off, but they treated us well during the flight. The food was excellent. There was actually too much food served, but it was nice to have all the options.

The flight landed at LAX we were then bussed to collect our bags. That process took nearly as long as the flight. Luckily we weren't in a hurry!

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

Frontier had yet another flight cancellation. Have never made a complete round trip with this airline without at least one leg getting cancelled. Miserable flights - dirty, uncomfortable planes that apparently always have issues since I've had multiple delays and cancellations with them.

No frills for sure. No gate announcements about flight delay, not even water to drink on the flight.

Stop changing gates at sfo. When you are elderly going back for it’s not fun.

After 5 hours of delay, they cancelled the flight. Very disappointed

My flight to LA was cancelled. I waited at the airport for 3 hrs saying it was delayed and then all of a sudden it was cancelled. Frontier only gave me a voucher and refund but could not rebook me. Flights on other airlines were too expensive last minute. I had to drive down to LA and didn’t even take my return flight home since I had to drive. One of the worst airline experiences in my life. It’s crazy how airlines can just upend people’s plans just like that.

They wouldn’t let us on the flight even tho we were an hour early. No refund not even our bags that were prepaid

8 hr delay. had to buy another ticket with another airline

They cancelled the flight then did nothing to help us rebook. It was awful - I won’t fly with them again

The truck that was refueling the plane drove away with the hose still connected to the plane and ripped part of the plane off with it

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

Complete your trip to Carlsbad with a hotel stay or car rental