SFO - CTU

$383 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 1/1. 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
$689
Overall average: $768
China Southern
Thu 1/22Sat 1/31
SFO - CTU • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$383
Typical prices: $403-$505
China Eastern
Thu 1/1
SFO - CTU • 1 stop
Top airlines
China Southern
Cheapest • from $702 (round-trip)
Cathay Pacific
Best reviews • 7.6 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 44% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
November
Cheapest • 36% 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

Thu, Jan 22 - Sat, Jan 31
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 11:15 am
SFO
-
CTU
43h 40m2 stops
China Southern Logo
5:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
18h 10m1 stop
$689China Southern
Tue, Jan 13 - Tue, Jan 20
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 11:15 am
SFO
-
CTU
19h 40m1 stop
China Southern Logo
1:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
22h 10m1 stop
$702China Southern
Thu, Jan 29 - Thu, Feb 5
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 4:20 pm
SFO
-
CTU
24h 45m2 stops
China Southern Logo
1:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
22h 10m2 stops
$704China Southern
Mon, Jan 5 - Wed, Mar 4
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 4:20 pm
SFO
-
CTU
24h 45m2 stops
China Southern Logo
10:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
37h 10m2 stops
$721China Southern
Thu, Jan 8 - Wed, Mar 4
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
20h 55m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
5:30 pm - 9:00 am
CTU
-
SFO
31h 30m1 stop
$725China Eastern
Thu, Jan 22 - Mon, Jan 26
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 11:20 pm
SFO
-
CTU
31h 45m2 stops
China Southern Logo
1:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
22h 10m2 stops
$756China Southern
Tue, Jan 13 - Tue, Jan 20
China Eastern Logo
5:55 am - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
27h 00m2 stops
China Eastern Logo
8:45 pm - 3:08 pm
CTU
-
SFO
34h 23m2 stops
$763China Eastern
Mon, Jan 5 - Fri, Mar 6
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:55 am
SFO
-
CTU
20h 55m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
9:15 pm - 9:00 am
CTU
-
SFO
27h 45m1 stop
$776China Eastern
Sat, Jan 10 - Fri, Feb 20
China Southern Logo
11:35 pm - 2:10 pm
SFO
-
CTU
22h 35m1 stop
China Southern Logo
10:30 pm - 7:40 pm
CTU
-
SFO
37h 10m1 stop
$794China Southern
Sat, Jan 10 - Sun, Jan 25
China Eastern Logo
12:00 pm - 12:35 pm
SFO
-
CTU
32h 35m1 stop
China Eastern Logo
2:35 pm - 9:00 am
CTU
-
SFO
34h 25m1 stop
$805China 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’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Chengdu?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chengdu clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Chengdu on a Thursday and more expensive on a Saturday. On your return trip to San Francisco, you should consider flying back on a Friday, and avoid Thursdays for better deals.

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 June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $2,172 and $1,534 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 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 44% 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$383
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 34% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 4% 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 $383 for a one-way ticket and $689 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 China Southern?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Chengdu are Cathay Pacific and China Southern. With an average price for the route of $1,066 and an overall rating of 7.6, Cathay Pacific is the most popular choice. China Southern is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $998 and an overall rating of 7.5.

  • 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 1095 reviews
8.1Crew
7.9Boarding
7.6Comfort
7.8Entertainment
7.3Food
Airline reviews

one hour transit not good. cathay pacific is not helpful at all

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Dec 2025
SIN - HKG
Read more Cathay Pacific reviews

one hour transit not good. cathay pacific is not helpful at all

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.

Crew on this flight dedicate their business class service to their high priority members. They would get priority service even the seats are behind me, and meals priority service and orders. I get the left over choices. I refused to eat because I felt discriminated, never booking this airline.

Very friendly and accommodating staff. Food was great. Lots of movies and tv shows to choose from. Highly recommend.

Leg room wasn't that great. Other than that it was a good flight

Issues: 1) the charging issue as described in my previous survey 2) when I requested diet coke during the breakfast time, it is not available. Why? I can't drink diet coke in the morning? 3) when I tried to transfer to this flight, its gate information was not available to me?

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 flight was delayed hours and most flights from CS are always delayed. Plane was efficient and got us home but not the best food and no entertainment system at all.

Not good - chair back could not move back for premium economy. Not worth the price

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?

My experience on this United Airlines flight was highly uncomfortable, primarily due to two issues: Cabin Temperature: The temperature on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was unacceptably high, feeling consistently around 80 degrees throughout the flight. This made sleeping impossible and significantly detracted from the experience. Seating Arrangement: Being stuck in a middle seat for a six-and-a-half-hour overnight flight compounded the discomfort. Moving forward, I will always purchase a seat assignment to avoid this situation.

Premium Plus is a really good idea for longer flights

Same as last comment. Food sucks. Quality. Not surprising most people have no clue about nourishment Clearly

We were in business class. the angled seats in that class do not have a real window view & the placement of the controls are bad. But we knew that. But the food options were mediocre. The taste was fine, but the size was for a child. It’s just really feels like United is skimping on everything. Even when we were in the Polaris lounge they did not have diet sodas. They said they were out no Coke zero no Diet Coke, etc. I do not think the portion of nuts they serve on the plane could get any smaller. Really a minimal service and offer for what you’re paying for in business.

We had to deboard 2 times due to maintenance issues. They changed the plane, and then we got deviated to LAX due to maibtenance issues on the other plane, had to sleep at LAX and los a full day.

From the first moment you interact with United Airlines, you can expect nothing less but extreme frustration. The baggage handler at the bag drop seems completely unbothered by the presence of customers waiting in line. No help was extended to load the baggage whatsoever. And if any of your bags is overweight by 0.01 pound they will make you re-distribute everything in your suitcase just to play power trip. When it was time to board no help was extended to customers to locate their seats. Moreover. It was a chaotic mess at the gate when it was unclear who should board first and everyone just bunched up, trying to get on the plane. I am sure the crew was doing their best to perform their jobs while being paid their wages however it shouldn’t be that hard to smile once or twice when you’re in the business if serving customers. It is a shame for the United States of America to have a flagship carrier of such low caliber. Our flight was also delayed by about an hour and a half due to further delays prior to our inbound flight. Being someone who has travelled for both business and leisure in Asia, Europe, and South America I have never experienced such poor quality of service.

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.

Pillow and blanket are dirty. My son got multiple bites during the flight

Flight was on time. My group paid for seat’s so that us four can be seated next to each other. We all got separated. We all got middle seats, which made it more difficult to be able to get up and stretch or use the restroom. We tried talking to the employees at China Eastern and they were of no help. We will not be taking this flight or recommend this route to others in the future. Also I will be contacting customer service on how I can get our money back for paying for assigned seats.

China eastern was fantastic. I had read so many bad reviews that had made me nervous. However, I found that the flight attendant’s, and customer service check in etc. etc. was excellent. I had no problems. I would fly with them again!

Excellent! I had read some negative reviews but I found out that it was not all was not true! The staff was courteous and helpful. The flight take off and landing was nice & easy. The food was good! I asked for a second and I got it easily and without an attitude! All was wonderful!

Excellent experience however older aeroplanes used by China Eastern Airlines.

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.

Food & service very good next I will pick up again

Chinese flight attendants didn't speak english well. They didn't care enough to remember that I (east asian who isn't Chinese) wasn't Chinese and spoke English. Announcement in english on board was poor and I find it very difficult to understand what was announced. Also, a cabin bag allows only 5kg!

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports