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Cheap Flights from San Francisco to China

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
Shanghai
Shanghai1 stop$702
Beijing
Beijing2 stops$802
Guangzhou
Guangzhou1 stop$789
Fuzhou
Fuzhou1 stop$738
Chengdu
Chengdu2 stops$766
Shenzhen
Shenzhen1 stop$778
Chongqing
Chongqing2 stops$786
Shenyang
Shenyang1 stop$708
Hangzhou
Hangzhou2 stops$778
Wuhan
Wuhan1 stop$689
Qingdao
Qingdao2 stops$778
Xi'an
Xi'an1 stop$810
Nanjing
Nanjing1 stop$759
Kunming
Kunming1 stop$810
Xiamen
Xiamen1 stop$812
Dalian
Dalian1 stop$730
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou2 stops$796
Changsha
Changsha1 stop$778
Harbin
Harbin1 stop$810
Wenzhou
Wenzhou1 stop$779
Shanghai
Shanghai1 stop$702
Beijing
Beijing2 stops$802
Guangzhou
Guangzhou1 stop$789
Fuzhou
Fuzhou1 stop$738
Chengdu
Chengdu2 stops$766
Shenzhen
Shenzhen1 stop$778
Chongqing
Chongqing2 stops$786
Shenyang
Shenyang1 stop$708
Hangzhou
Hangzhou2 stops$778
Wuhan
Wuhan1 stop$689
Qingdao
Qingdao2 stops$778
Xi'an
Xi'an1 stop$810
Nanjing
Nanjing1 stop$759
Kunming
Kunming1 stop$810
Xiamen
Xiamen1 stop$812
Dalian
Dalian1 stop$730
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou2 stops$796
Changsha
Changsha1 stop$778
Harbin
Harbin1 stop$810
Wenzhou
Wenzhou1 stop$779
Booking Insights

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

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

What is the cheapest San Francisco to China flight route?

The cheapest ticket to China from San Francisco found in the last 5 days was to Beijing, at $650 round-trip. The most popular route is from San Francisco (SFO) to Guangzhou (CAN), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $727.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to China?

The cheapest time of day to fly to China is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $766 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to China is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,301.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from San Francisco to China?

No, with an average price for the route of $1,122, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to China is September, when tickets cost $848 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,569 and $1,453 respectively.

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

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to China, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 1 week before departure.

Good to know

Low season

August

Cheapest flight

$398
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 39% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Guangzhou

FAQs - booking China flights

  • What are the available amenities at Shanghai Pudong International Airport?

    Many amenities include Wi-Fi, a business center, left luggage offices, mother-and-baby rooms, an art gallery, a children's park, and a maritime exhibition. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about such facilities, especially after a long journey.

  • Are there direct flights from San Francisco to China?

    Most flights offer indirect services making one, two, or three stops along the way. Flights making one-stop are more expensive and take a shorter time to reach the final destination than those making two or three stops.

  • Which are the arrival airports in China?

    Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), and Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) are the arrival stations in China. PVG is southeast of Shanghai city, CAN is in southern China, and PKX is south of Beijing City. All these airports are in some of the best cities in China.

  • Which airlines offer indirect flights from San Francisco to China?

    Philippine Airlines, EVA Air, Air Canada, China Airlines, ANA, Malaysia Airlines, and Etihad Airways offer indirect flight services. The planes make one, two, or three stops before reaching the final destination. Again, time duration and flight tickets vary among these flights.

  • Which is the cheapest route from San Francisco to China?

    Traveling from San Francisco to China via Shanghai Pu Dong is the cheapest route. However, the cheap flight ticket fluctuates from time to time. Therefore, you should check the price ticket before booking, especially if you have a tight budget. The flight can be one-way or round-trip.

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

    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 China.

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

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

    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 to China 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 to China?

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

Top tips for finding cheap flights to China

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has a play spot for kids to have fun before the departure. This airport also offers wheelchair services to help travelers with disabilities to get in and off planes. You can also take a shower and continue with your journey feeling fresh and relaxed. Upon arriving at the airport in China, you can go to the love channel to access a baby stroller if you have a toddler or a wheelchair if needed.
  • Flights departing from San Francisco also serve other cities in China, including Anshan, Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Jieyang, Nanning, Yanji, Yiwu, Dali, Hohhot, Hefei, and Shanghai.
  • There are many cities offering airport services. However, flight ticket varies depending on the airport the plane arrives at. Thus, you should check this advantage before booking a flight. Again, you should check whether the flight offers direct or indirect services to various airports in different cities.
  • If you are touring China, you need a tourist visa. The passport remains valid for six months before it expires. Just make sure you renew it early enough if you want to stay there longer.
  • In China, it’s mandatory to have car seats for children. Therefore, most rental car companies in China have car seats installed to avoid violating the law. If you have a child, you should ensure to rent a vehicle that has a car seat for children for your child's safety. Risking by choosing a car without a car seat may land you with problems with the law.

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

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to China? 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.
8.1
Asiana AirlinesOverall score based on 559 reviews
8.3Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.6Entertainment
8.5Crew
8.0Food
Airline reviews

I’d have rated Asiana good except an unfortunate incident in which I felt one of your employee didn’t really help us. During the first leg of the trip, the flight from LAX to ICN, I left my backpack on the plane. When I realized, I reported to one of your employee who promised me that it’d be taken care of, that my backpack will be there at HCM city. When we arrived there, HCM people had no idea and my backpack was still at Incheon airport who denied any knowledge whatsoever. I was left in the cold and felt helpless. I was very disappointed. I’d like someone to look into this and let me know.

6.0 GoodAn, Mar 2026
Read more Asiana Airlines reviews

I’d have rated Asiana good except an unfortunate incident in which I felt one of your employee didn’t really help us. During the first leg of the trip, the flight from LAX to ICN, I left my backpack on the plane. When I realized, I reported to one of your employee who promised me that it’d be taken care of, that my backpack will be there at HCM city. When we arrived there, HCM people had no idea and my backpack was still at Incheon airport who denied any knowledge whatsoever. I was left in the cold and felt helpless. I was very disappointed. I’d like someone to look into this and let me know.

It was my first time flying Asiana but i was very pleased with how professional and understanding the flight crew is with little kids. One flight attendant held my 3 year old daughter’s hand guiding her to the exit after landing while i had my hands full with luggage and my infant. She was very helpful.

Love flying Asiana. Been using it for over a decade now.

The beefsteak on the lunch menu was excellent! I usually do not eat airplane food. I loved it.

For the most part, it was an enjoyable experience. It's the 2nd half of the journey was a bit uncomfortable. It was on a noticable smaller plane compared to the previous one.

Only process that my luggage didn’t make it to my destination because of short connection but I understand

I like the food, the crew and everything.!!! Except for the delay in our flight.

Check in agent very rude, no greeting “Hi” or “ Thank you. Doesn’t direct where to go for gate info. In flight crew staff not friendly. Very disappointed ☹️

My favorite airline to fly across the Pacific. The Business class lounge is fantastic, the wonderful flight attendants are helpful and professional. Great comfort while flying.

The flight was delayed for 2 hours, however, we flew home safely.

Very attentive crews Flight was very smooth and safe Only little disappointment was the slight delay of departure (~30 minutes ) which rarely happen with CX flights

Not at all satisfactory. I had stomach upsets after taking food. Quality of Asian vegetarian meal was awful. Further there was no snacks/ fruits/ biscuits available as in between snacks.. only peanuts and pitzels.. except courteous staff rest of my experience was far from satisfactory

Staff was very courteous. Plane was clean and quite spacious even in the last rows. Veg food could have been better.

The flight from Hong Kong to Hyderabad didn’t have any power points to charge my mobile. Given we are no longer allowed to use power banks, giving customers the ability to charge even on short flights is critical part of the overall experience.

when i ask for help all the crew members had a look like why are you calling me? very terse and rude.

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.

Horrible airline. Missed my baggage and don’t want to reimburse for the basis items. Pathetic customer service

Bathroom was not cleaned as often as other airlines does. It was gross for a less than full flight capacity.

While I was in great pain, the seat was sufficiently comfortable to allow me to rest and not be in so much pain.

Flight crew was especially thoughtful and attentive, made sure our seats were comfortable so we could rest on the long flight

We were taking the flight MU 8649 from Shanghai to Osaka and the original boarding gate was 20 and we didn’t receive any notification or broadcast about gate changes, and by the time we missed the original boarding time we check thr electric board and realized the gate was changed to 208 Also the flight was delayed by almost an hour and the crew member didn’t provide any explanation, after we finally boarded the aircraft was very hot, the crew member told me the air conditioning was not working and tried to calm passages down by offering iced water, all of us sat in the aircraft for another 40 mins before it finally took off

Seats not comfortable. We had requested vegan meal and it wasn’t given.

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

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 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.

It was okay. Boarding the staff made you feel rushed like we were late or something

No wheelchair service at all ( I did request that service and also purchased the priority assistant bundle) , what a waste of money

We bought the business class tickets. The check-in staff and onboard crew were excellent, providing commendable service throughout. However, it was disappointing to find that China Southern Airlines does not have a lounge at SFO. Instead, passengers were provided with a $35 per person food voucher, which fell short of expectations. Furthermore, the quality of the onboard food left much to be desired, marking a significant decline compared to our previous flight experience in 2019, prior to the pandemic.

The food was perfect. The boarding process is a bit long. Given the late boarding time, I felt very tired by the time I was seated.

It we as a pleasant flight. Good helpful and happy cabin crew. Food was okay, not to write home about. Drinks good. Entertainment okay.. Seat space good , comfort acceptable

Weren’t even given earphones to use the entertainment system

Overall, excellent: check-in, boarding, service, and food. The Business Class seating is a little less private and spacious than the world's premier airlines, but still very good for a long haul flight.

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

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.

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

Everything was not satisfactory - the flight was delayed, staffs were ok but they didn't speak English well. I am from east Asia (not Chinese) and they didn't care enough to remember that I wasn't Chinese but persistently spoke chinese to me. The flight announcement in english wasn't clear to understand.

I wish I had been able to choose a vegetarian meal. Crew friendly and helpful. Seat was ok. All quite efficient and pleasant. Would recommend for inner China travel for sure.

We bought premium Economy, thinking it would be more comfortable, but the seat is so narrow ,that my legs and feet are swollen , I can't wear shoes !

It was just fine. The sirlines did live up fully to my expectation.

While boarding at PVG, there was a ticket checking by the gate, then there was another ticket checking right at the bottom of the escalator, which created quite a dangerous congestion. Don't understand why the duplication?

I was traveling alone with an infant, so the crew was incredibly helpful. Both the international and subsequent domestic flights were impeccable.

The flight was delayed by 2 hours, although to their credit they delayed my connecting flight so people could reach it. Also their site is a nightmare to navigate on a phone. Everything else was good.

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.

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.

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!

Again, I was presented with birthday pastries two times as a celebrated my birthday on both legs of my trip. I will keep flying to China using China Eastern airlines. As they made this trip a special one thank you.

A lot of value considering the cheap ticket prices. All meals served were Chinese food. Would fly them again considering the ticket was half the price of any others

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports