SFO - CTU

$442 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chengdu

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 Chengdu departing on 3/9. 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 Chengdu

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

Cheapest round-trip
$790
Overall average: $1,035
China Southern
Mon 2/16Mon 3/9
SFO - CTU • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$442
Typical prices: $562-$692
China Eastern
Mon 3/9
SFO - CTU • 1 stop
Top airlines
China Southern
Cheapest • from $790 (round-trip)
Cathay Pacific
Best reviews • 7.6 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
2 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 2 weeks in advance save around 19% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
November
Cheapest • 33% price drop
May
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 Chengdu!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chengdu (SFO-CTU)

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

Mon, Feb 16 - Mon, Mar 9
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 6:15 pm
SFO
-
CTU
26h 40m
2 stops
China Southern Logo
1:30 pm - 8:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
22h 10m
2 stops
$790China Southern
Thu, Mar 26 - Thu, Apr 23
China Eastern Logo
1:00 pm - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
20h 55m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
6:55 am - 9:05 am
CTU
-
SFO
17h 10m
1 stop
$819China Eastern
Mon, Feb 16 - Mon, Mar 9
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
20h 55m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
9:15 pm - 5:28 pm
CTU
-
SFO
35h 13m
2 stops
$837China Eastern
Mon, Mar 30 - Sun, Apr 19
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm
SFO
-
CTU
33h 15m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
1:30 pm - 9:05 am
CTU
-
SFO
34h 35m
1 stop
$840China Eastern
Wed, Apr 29 - Wed, May 6
China Eastern Logo
8:50 am - 12:15 pm
SFO
-
CTU
36h 25m
2 stops
China Eastern Logo
1:30 pm - 9:05 am
CTU
-
SFO
34h 35m
1 stop
$859China Eastern
Thu, Mar 26 - Wed, Apr 22
China Eastern Logo
1:00 pm - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
20h 55m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
6:55 am - 3:21 pm
CTU
-
SFO
23h 26m
2 stops
$865China Eastern
Sun, Feb 15 - Tue, Mar 10
China Eastern Logo
6:00 am - 11:40 am
SFO
-
CTU
37h 40m
2 stops
China Eastern Logo
8:45 pm - 5:28 pm
CTU
-
SFO
35h 43m
2 stops
$866China Eastern
Mon, Apr 27 - Wed, May 6
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:15 pm
SFO
-
CTU
33h 15m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
1:30 pm - 9:05 am
CTU
-
SFO
34h 35m
1 stop
$876China Eastern
Mon, Mar 23 - Sun, Apr 19
China Eastern Logo
1:00 pm - 8:00 pm
SFO
-
CTU
40h 00m
1 stop
China Eastern Logo
1:30 pm - 9:05 am
CTU
-
SFO
34h 35m
1 stop
$877China Eastern
Wed, Apr 29 - Wed, May 6
China Eastern Logo
8:50 am - 12:15 pm
SFO
-
CTU
36h 25m
2 stops
China Eastern Logo
6:55 am - 3:21 pm
CTU
-
SFO
23h 26m
2 stops
$905China Eastern
Booking Insights

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chengdu, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Chengdu is November, where tickets cost $738 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,721 and $1,557 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chengdu, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Chengdu, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 19% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$442
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 30% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Chengdu

When to book flights from San Francisco to Chengdu

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Chengdu based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Chengdu

  • What services does EVA Air offer for economy passengers on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu?

    EVA Air offers the following services for economy passengers including inflight Wi-Fi for all cabin classes, inflight entertainment with a wide range of video, music, and gaming options, creative new meal choices, available for purchase, and access to charging points.

  • How do I go from Chengdu Airport (CTU) to the city center?

    You can take airport buses No. 1 or 3, depending on where your destination is located in the city center. These buses run regularly and are relatively inexpensive. Additionally, Metro Line 18 connects Chengdu Tianfu Airport with the city center. Alternatively, from Terminal 1 or 2, you can take line 10 and transfer to line 3 to get to the city center. You can also take a taxi from the airport to the city center, although the fare may vary depending on the route and time of day.

  • What seat options does Japan Airlines provide on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu?

    Japan Airlines provides seat selection options for its passengers on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu. Passengers traveling in First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class, or Economy Class on Japan Airlines can select their seats in advance. Seat selection is usually available 24 hours before flight departure for flights operated by Japan Airlines (JAL).

  • What is the luggage allowance on Asiana Airlines on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu?

    The luggage allowance on Asiana Airlines varies depending on the class of travel. Economy class passengers are generally allowed 1 or 2 pieces of checked baggage, each weighing up to 50 lbs, although the exact policy may depend on the fare purchased. Passengers are generally allowed 1 or 2 pieces of carry-on baggage, each weighing up to 22 lbs, depending on the travel class.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Chengdu was $442 for a one-way ticket and $790 for a round-trip.

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

    Yes, you'll most likely have to show a valid passport before boarding the plane in San Francisco and on arrival in Chengdu.

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

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

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

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

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Chengdu, Cathay Pacific or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Chengdu are Cathay Pacific and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $1,100 and an overall rating of 7.6, Cathay Pacific is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $1,665 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Chengdu.

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

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

    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 Chengdu with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and CTU 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 San Francisco to Chengdu?

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

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San Francisco to Chengdu

  • Asiana Airlines offers the following services to passengers with reduced mobility on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu. These include wheelchair assistance, a motorized wheelchair if necessary, and special Needs Access facilities and services at airports. It is important to note that passengers with reduced mobility are advised to inform the airline of their needs at least 48 hours before departure.
  • Lufthansa is taking various actions to reduce carbon emissions, including using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) that save at least 80% of carbon emissions compared to conventional kerosene including for flights from San Francisco to Chengdu.
  • Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways (ANA) are both known for being family-friendly airlines and offer services to families with kids on flights from San Francisco to Chengdu. These include special airport support services for families with children, such as strollers and priority boarding.
  • Flights to Chengdu departing from San Francisco Airport (SFO) typically depart from the International Terminal (Terminal G), but it's always best to check with the airline or review the flight itinerary for specific terminal information.
  • US citizens generally need a visa to travel to China including Chengdu. Travelers must obtain a visa prior to arrival and have a passport with at least six months of validity remaining. The requirements and procedures for Chinese visa applications by foreign citizens in the US, include providing a photocopy of a green card, visa, I20, or I94 to prove legal residence.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Chengdu

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Chengdu. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Chengdu? 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.
7.6
Cathay PacificOverall score based on 1153 reviews
7.9Boarding
7.3Food
7.6Comfort
8.1Crew
7.8Entertainment
Airline reviews

I didn't have much experience with Cathay Pacific airlines because of delay and missed connections, the bulk of the trip was on Japan Airlines.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Jan 2026
DFW - HKG
Read more Cathay Pacific reviews

I didn't have much experience with Cathay Pacific airlines because of delay and missed connections, the bulk of the trip was on Japan Airlines.

Flight delayed first from bad weather, then after boarding there was a problem with the plane. We had to get off and onto another plane...connections were missed and the trip took an additional 10 hours!! Pre-paid seatting was not honored due ro last minute carrier changes. Most of the trip was on Japan Airline.

Vegetarian options should be included with every meal. Even just simple steamed vegetables and whole grains would capture a wide audience.

Cramped, hot and the plane was grubby. Also the plane was an hour late and it took an hour to get my luggage once I got to LAX.

Crew and food were great in-flight. We had a 2 hour delay, no communication, and just got left in a limbo. The crew arrived late and they were running checkouts on the plane (which is important, but why not doing it earlier?) Cathay did nothing to about the delay, and a lot of people missed their connection flights. I had to run and got stuck at checkpoint, which made my entire trip very unpleasant. Got to my gate 5 mins prior to them closing it.

My flight was suppose to be at 7:45pm to fly but it didnt fly out until 8:55 to dallas so then all of my other flights was late and delay ihad to wait at the airport for extra 14 hours to be able to get on a different plane

There were delays at boarding and landing. These events resulted in a tight transfer time in HK. Poor signage for transfers. Finally, lost luggage at final destination.

It was good. The planes needed to be updated though, they were dated and the entertainment systems were old. Service was amazing. The pre-booked meals were lacklustre.

Super delayed. Unnecessary. Need more competent people doing logistics to keep things moving on time. Totally unacceptable.

Flew from lax economy on cathay 777. Seat configuration 3-4-3. When the forward seat reclines it feels like someone is leaning forward and staring you. If you are slightly big tray tables will touch your abdomen even with seats upright. AVOID this above 777 configuration at all cost for a long flight. However their Airbus 350 3-3-3 configuration felt spacious and Seats wider.

The flight crew where really good. Better then the crew from BNE to SFO

Food should be changed in menu Many muslims travels in this airlime they need to add one Halal meal

left on time, reasonable boarding process arrived early luggage came out quickly

Some flight attendants were great others were cranky. Seats were very tight and sitting on an aisle was very hard as the carts and people walking constantly bumped shoulder and arm.

Pushed back only to get deplaned due to a tire damaged by ground crew. They did at least go pretty fast. The bathrooms should be banned under the Geneva convention. No room to even sit straight on the toilet. The under-seat entertainment units block what little leg room there is.

United airlines has the best customer experience from booking to arrival. I always fly United airlines. The mileage program is excellent

from SFO-> FRA flight, AVML meal was significantly less compared to regular meal, especially no Desert, no Bread, no sides.

This was an older airplane. The cabin was constantly warm to hot throughout the 10 hour flight and there were no vents to personalize air flow. Also since it was an older plane, the material and comfort of the chairs were very uncomfortable. I left my flight with major soreness on my tailbone.

Older aircraft, no meal, only food was for purchase. Not impressed United.

Not pleasant trip cross country when the entertainment and WiFi system not working. No entertainment for entirety of route. Staff was rather nonchalant in that they dismissed the problem due to age of plane. It would have been nice to know this up front so I could have come prepared to read or download movies before boarding Coincidentally or not, there was a similar issue with the entertainment system on my previous flight I took on my fist leg of the trip. There are no seat TVs, so you must rely on the app when it works. United can do better. Also, what use it it to pay for boarding group 2 when half of the passengers are in the same line as you?

did not get a notification about seat selection ahead of time. We didn't end up sitting together.

I was denied boarding at the Brisbane airport and it seems like I won’t get any refunds from the airline

In my return flight they couldn’t identify my ticket or boarding pass, I had to go to 3 different counters until I was able to get my boarding pass. The food was on, it was the bear minimum. They didn’t even recognise that I was a Muslim and can’t eat meat, chicken or pork. In one of the trays I believe they served me pork. The staff were very pleasant, but they need to be aware of their surroundings more carefully, one of them stuck her lower belly right into my face! I was shocked and very uncomfortable.

Overall I had good experience with China Southern airline. Nothing to claim. I hoped they could improve the meal quality that is.

Wow very impressed by the quality and attentiveness of service of China Southern. Lived the blankets! Will definitely fly with them again. Despite language barriers, a few attendants know enough English to understand our rudimentary Mandarin and respond to basic questions. Although they don’t explain the beverage and meal service on the website or ticketing documents, they offered regular beverage cart and snacks during the beginning hours and end hours of the long, transoceanic flight. A full meal at the beginning and end of the flight as well, and a midflight small sandwich (dinner roll sized) but we weren’t hungry and didn’t try that one. The expectation is that every sleeps during the middle of the flight. We were on a “redeye” departure from LAX with a morning arrival in China, so I don’t know if this service pattern is the same for other flights. The domestic flight we took from Guangzhou to Harbin offered conventional refreshments and meals like a US flight service. Note that they didn’t offer diet sodas. If you like to stay hydrated, I recommend bringing plenty of your own. It is served in small cups like any other drink. You can ask for a bottle but they’re tiny - about 6 ounces.

China Southern was not the problem. I booked my flight through Kayak and also received a booking reference and alert details regarding departure time and gate numbers… however Kayak NEVER actually booked my flight! We were stranded at the airport without a flight for a long awaited holiday!

The connection between LA and Atlanta was too much stress

Terrible boarding experience,,food is very poor that I I . Never going book this airline again.

The crew were kind, patient and responsive. The service was excellent, even though we travelled the cheapest economy class. We arrived at our destination 40 min early, which for a 15+ hour flight is a great bonus. The boarding seemed a bit "loose", but got us boarded on time, and the plane was off exactly @ 0:30 hrs.

The airport didn‘t give me the ticket. I called customer service to ask for a refund but they kept giving me a perfunctory response and refused to refund me.

The ticket was last minute buy so no concerns about the pricing this time, but the crew in general could have been more accommodating, helpful.

CTU-KMG-CNX with 1.5 hr connection at KMG. Doable but just barely bc immigration exit from China is at the last flight leg, here: KMG to CNX. We hauled out of the domestic terminal to reenter at the international departures (luggage checked thru to CNX thankfully). Immigration had only two agents, even though KMG gets a HUGE number of foreigners. It took forever for such a shot line. Then security also took a while, so I just just made the connection. Recommend if you exit China with domestic international transfer, plan for 2+ hrs to avoid a heart attack. Airline personnel don’t suffer if you miss the flight, you do. Plan accordingly.

China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers. A BIG ISSUE FOR NON-CHINESE PASSENGERS IS THE ABILITY TO CHECK IN ONLINE, by making so difficult or almost impossible there is no chance to get a seat assignment ahead of time then go to the airport and get what is left. THIS IS NOT a SKY TEAM modality.

China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers.

2 parts to the journey. First leg covered in a newer plane with decent staff + POOR FOOD QUALITY but the second half didn’t leave a positive impression at all as the plane itself was an older built and the crew didn’t serve properly. Language is an issue with China Eastern flights as always, but unmotivated crew just makes it even bad.

Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!

The only personel that smiled at all were the flights attendants. Desk agents, lounge people none of them had a smile or even a hello. They were like dealing with dead fish. Again flight attendants were good. All other personnel looked like they didn’t want to be there or help.

good flight. food is only so so. I actually did not eat the snack. it does not look too good on the passenger next to me.

Food no variations only beef of chicken no veggie meals

Super surprised with the entire experience. Business class is incredible. Flight attendants around the world could learn customer service from these people. Simply fabulous experience all the way around.

On time. Friendly and helpful flight attendants. The plane was clean. Having a wine available would have been nice.

Your staff was exceptional. Could teach the other airlines-rules on etiquette, and service. Excellent landings on flights, carried out by your pilots. Only complaint is long delay on return flight in Beijing, onto Vancouver.

Worst than I expected, crew was not attentive, meal was as disgusting , they didn’t even drink selections as they would to other passengers. I felt discriminated

cannot get seat information for LAX to IAH when check in in XI,AN

UA is ok. But check in was a very bad experience

I hate that you cannot check in online and when you are at the airport, there aren't any aisle seats left. Also, they could work a little on subtitles for their movies (not everyone is a native English speaker).

Nothing to complain of, the only reason I am not giving better marks is that I am used to flying with ANA and they are the top.

It's terrible that we can't do online check in because we didn't buy the tickets directly from Air china. It was not explained until I contacted Chatdeal and we could not sit together.

Communication between the captain/crew and the passengers needs to be improved.

Food and service are good. Bathroom was lack of lotions and cleaning. That should be improved.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports