$326 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Europe - 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 Europe departing on 11/17. 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.
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Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Europe

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
London
London1 stop$649
Paris
Paris2 stops$784
Rome
Rome1 stop$767
Madrid
Madrid1 stop$670
Athens
Athens1 stop$804
Istanbul
Istanbul2 stops$885
Lisbon
Lisbon1 stop$691
Dublin
Dublin2 stops$788
Amsterdam
Amsterdam1 stop$745
Milan
Milan2 stops$685
Zurich
Zurich2 stops$775
Copenhagen
Copenhagen2 stops$838
Munich
Munich1 stop$703
Venice
Venice1 stop$660
Edinburgh
Edinburgh2 stops$993
Prague
Prague2 stops$695
Berlin
Berlin1 stop$746
London
London1 stop$649
Paris
Paris2 stops$784
Rome
Rome1 stop$767
Madrid
Madrid1 stop$670
Athens
Athens1 stop$804
Istanbul
Istanbul2 stops$885
Lisbon
Lisbon1 stop$691
Dublin
Dublin2 stops$788
Amsterdam
Amsterdam1 stop$745
Milan
Milan2 stops$685
Zurich
Zurich2 stops$775
Copenhagen
Copenhagen2 stops$838
Munich
Munich1 stop$703
Venice
Venice1 stop$660
Edinburgh
Edinburgh2 stops$993
Prague
Prague2 stops$695
Berlin
Berlin1 stop$746
Booking Insights

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

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

What is the cheapest San Francisco to Europe flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to Europe from San Francisco found in the last 5 days was to Madrid, at $369 round-trip. The most popular route is from San Francisco (SFO) to Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $511.

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

The average price for all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Europe depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Europe is generally in the morning, when round-trip flights cost $906 on average. Morning departures are around 4% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Europe is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,013.

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

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $1,078, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Europe, 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 Europe is February, when tickets cost $644 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,218 and $1,093 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Europe?

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

If you are looking for a flight deal from San Francisco to Europe, look for departures on Tuesdays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Europe, Friday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday is the most expensive.

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

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 Europe, 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 Europe, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 4% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$326
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 25% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 45% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Flights from San Francisco to Europe: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from San Francisco to Europe 
TonyFlew with ITA Airways-Jun 2026
Get there early, at least 3hrs. so you can have a relaxed experience.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Jul 2026
Download your boarding pass before getting to the airport.
Verified travelerFlew with Condor-Jun 2026
Frankfurt airport was very disappointing. We had a connecting flight and had to go through another round of security where every second bag was set aside for extra inspection. It took 20 minutes to get it done, we almost missed our flight and nobody cared. No air conditioning at the airport and the restrooms were out of toilet paper. Not enough seating at boarding considering the sizes of the planes flying out.
BabuFlew with United Airlines-May 2026
If you want to get into a lounge, I highly recommend making reservations ahead of time if you can. Otherwise, you have to get there, scan some code and then get in a queue. Everywhere you go you have to wait. Just be ready for that.
KenFlew with Lufthansa-May 2026
Get a good blow up seat cushion if traveling in economy
Verified travelerFlew with Turkish Airlines-May 2026
Be sure your layover time in Istanbul is long enough to get on the next flight.
Verified travelerFlew with Scandinavian Airlines-May 2026
Don’t sit in bulkhead seats, that’s where baby bassinets are attached and babies are situated
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-May 2026
check your reservation often to make sure your choices are still there.
Verified travelerFlew with Aer Lingus-Jan 2026
If flying to Ireland, the direct flight from SFO to DUB on Aer Lingus is the way to go to avoid the hassles and uncertainty of mid journey stop-overs.
Verified travelerFlew with British Airways-Dec 2025
If not getting off in London make sure you have enough time to get to your connecting gates
DavidFlew with Aer Lingus-Dec 2025
Check gate; it’s not in the international terminal
Verified travelerFlew with Iberia-Jan 2026
Buy your flight directly from the airline because the cancellation process is purgatory
ReinhardFlew with Scandinavian Airlines-Nov 2025
Don’t travel with checked luggage when booking tickets with stopovers
SomnathFlew with Scandinavian Airlines-Nov 2025
If you have a connection flight at Copenhagen, make sure you have at least 2 hours at Copenhagen as it takes for ever to go through the passport control at Copenhagen
GeraldFlew with Virgin Atlantic-Jun 2025
Virgin Atlantic uses terminal 3. Much faster clearing customs than terminal 5
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-Jun 2025
Large number of passengers on the flight so arrive early to the airport and to the boarding gate
PallaviFlew with British Airways-Apr 2025
Eat at the lounge first so you are not stuck eating overcooked cheese ravioli
Verified travelerFlew with French Bee-Oct 2024
Enjoy at The Club SFO lounge at Terminal 1, then walk only 10 minutes to Terminal A which is adjacent to the French Bee gate.
TapanFlew with British Airways-Oct 2024
Great baggage policy in BA.. The worst part was experience at London Heathrow airport. Security was slow, too many people. Almost lost connecting flight even with 2 hours layover.
LawrenceFlew with United Airlines-Jun 2024
Better stay up the night before tire yourself out before or you will have trouble sleeping on the plane, since you are taking off at 3pm local time but arriving around midnight origin time and morning at the destination.
Verified travelerFlew with ITA Airways-Jul 2024
Pack light as they only allow one carry-on weighing 17 lbs or less. Economy seats are typical in that they are smaller with not much leg room and only tilt back to 120 degrees
MichaelFlew with Condor-Jun 2024
Bring snacks, make sure you follow luggage guidelines,
benedictFlew with Turkish Airlines-Mar 2024
Polaris lounge is located in the G gate and Turkish flies from A gate. Go to G gate first if you want to hang out at the lounge
ThuFlew with TAP AIR PORTUGAL-Apr 2024
Weigh bags. They will check. Check in with gate or desk. Sometimes the e ticket will not work for boarding.
StefanieFlew with Lufthansa-Feb 2024
Try to find flights with layovers of two hours or more To prevent missing connecting flights.

FAQs - booking Europe flights

  • Is San Francisco International Airport (SFO) a hub for any airline?

    As a major hub for United Airlines, this airline features a Polaris Lounge and a United Club location inside Internation Terminal G at the airport. Another benefit of using this airline at this airport is that they offer a very large selection of flights giving you flexibility in case of issues with your original flight.

  • Will I need a visa to fly from San Francisco to Europe?

    Citizens of the United States are fortunate to experience visa-free travel to countries within the Schengen area, covering a vast majority of European nations. This privilege grants stays of up to 90 days within any period of 180 days. However, it's crucial to be mindful that if you leave the Schengen area and subsequently return within the same 180 days, your previous stay will be deducted from your 90-day limit.

  • What is one of the most sustainable airlines I can choose for my trip to Europe?

    American Airlines is committed to improving the sustainability of its operations through various initiatives. These include the adoption of more fuel-efficient aircraft, as well as increased utilization of low-carbon fuel and innovative technologies. With a long-term objective of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, the airline has set ambitious interim targets. By undertaking these measures, American Airlines is dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly future for the aviation sector.

  • Are there any other airports in the Los Angeles area I can use for a flight to Europe?

    If you are south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), you might fly from John Wayne Airport (SNA), which offers one-stop flights to Heathrow Airport (LHR) aboard British Airways. If you are east of Los Angeles, one option is Ontario International Airport (ONT), where you can fly on one-stop flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) aboard American Airlines.

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

    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 Europe.

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

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

    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 Europe 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 Europe?

    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 Europe 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 Europe

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from San Francisco to the following destinations at these prices or less: Frankfurt am Main $469 one-way - $698 round-trip; Istanbul $551 one-way - $909 round-trip; London $458 one-way - $956 round-trip
  • One of the most convenient ways to get to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is to take the BART Yellow or Red Line from the Civic Center Station to the airport in about 30min.
  • If you're traveling on American Airlines to Europe, keep in mind that your carry-on bags must not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 in. You can also bring a personal item that should not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 in. There are no weight limits for either the carry-on or personal item.
  • When flying with United Airlines and intending to check baggage, please be aware that each bag must not exceed the dimensions of 30 x 20 x 12 in. and should not weigh more than 50 lb. However, if you're traveling in First or Business Classes, the weight limit for checked bags increases to 70 lb.
  • If you have an early morning flight to Europe from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), you might consider staying at the Grand Hyatt at SFO, which lets you travel to the terminal quickly before your flight on the airport's AirTrain system.
  • Enhance your travel experience with the opulence of First Class on your upcoming Delta flight. Revel in the luxury of wider and more spacious seating, plus you'll also enjoy the privileges of Sky Priority service, ensuring a seamless and expedited travel experience from the beginning to the end of your journey.

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

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Europe? 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.
7.4
Scandinavian AirlinesOverall score based on 1949 reviews
7.3Comfort
6.8Food
6.8Entertainment
7.7Boarding
8.0Crew
Airline reviews

The crew was very helpful and friendly. Food was good. The only issue was the legroom -- not great. The seat in front is also too close to see the entertainment screen properly.

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Aug 2026
Read more Scandinavian Airlines reviews

The crew was very helpful and friendly. Food was good. The only issue was the legroom -- not great. The seat in front is also too close to see the entertainment screen properly.

The first flight was delayed. We missed the second flight, which was rebooked 9 hours later. We missed all our arrangements for the first day of vacation.

Terrible airlines, kept lying to me about the fact that my connection flight was cancelled. Left me hanging until last min. NEVER AGAIN

Cancelled flight, wasn't refunded paid selected seats. Poor customer service. Called airline and they didn't realize the flight was cancelled until several hours after the email notice was sent.

5 of my 7 pieces of luggage are missing and they cant call to find out where it is. I have to fill out a form and wait for them to mail it to me in several days (if they find it). That does not work for my travel itinerary. I need my full ticket cost refunded please.

Fantastic. The only thing - out of my six luggage one was lost in Copenhagen, however it was delivered Home 3 Days later so all great..

I was surprised how good an American airline can be - I was really impressed.

Over all experience was good. However the connection time was too short at CPG. We missed our connecting flight to AMS as the passport control line was too long and by the time we got our passport control done it was too late I wish there were some SAS staff to help us out at the passport control center Though they put us in a KLM flight from CPG to AMS, That flight was also delayed by over two hours

Great logistics and timeliness as we arrived quite early. Flight smooth and fast. Excellent entertainment. Plane itself was a bit tired and the crew mostly indifferent. Baggage took forever but that’s on CPH. Would use SAS again for sure.

Business class seats narrower and the most uncomfortable Business class I've ever experienced. Clothes on the seats was itchy, head of the bed was elevated causing us to slude down even though they were "lie flat seats". Plane was way too hot. My partner and I were both sweating just sitting in our seats. Staff appeared sad or depressed

The pilot was late so we didn’t take off til almost 2 hours late.

It was a short, comfortable flight. It did leave an hour late due to the pilot having to be replaced (family emergency) but that didn’t inconvenience myself & my friend. The situation was explained, eventually.

Excellent communication from the staff. We actually arrived early. Very friendly and professional staff.

No extra snacks were available. Meals quality is terrible. Crew was not friendly.

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

It was perfect! United Airlines staff was extremely caring, super friendly and professional

United has maintenance issues and can then never recover. No operations ability and simple issues always turn into multiple hours long cascading delays. Worst airline on earth.

I paid for a confirmed upgraded aisle seat and was moved to a center seat in the back of the plane at the last minute.

Horrifying Almost 2 million miles. Bring your own food and drink. One coffee or drink every three hours. Have to order meals on app more than 24 hours ahead Tiny and dirty bathrooms

Easy of boarding, helpfully staff at check in, surprisingly comfortable seating

They set someone on our assigned seats and we ended up finding seats for ourselves to ensure the family sits together.

Flight attendants were fine, seats a bit hard but I use a cushion for extra support. The only issue was it was a bit too cool and I needed to ask for and received and extra blanket. I survived!!!

Food choices limited & not enticing Seats quite uncomfortable & difficult to control

Boarding was disorganized. The door to one to the toilets wouldn’t lock. The plane was shockingly cramped, and clearly used for domestic flights due to the menus for items to sell domestic travelers. United should be ashamed of its small seats, tiny unclean toilets, and money grubbing stance toward services, compared to Lufthansa, Emirates, and most international carriers United is awful.

Service and food were excellent. Incredibly friendly and competent staff. Flight was delayed over and hour and I had to run between terminals to get my connecting flight.

Everything was really great just The aircraft was too old and sounded it will break during takeoff

Extremely pleased with the crew. Best flight attendants ever! Very friendly, genuinely caring and attentive.

Cheapest airlines I have ever been on. I got downgraded and never got on united. I got rerouted through Vancouver onto jetwesf

Very small and uncomfortable seats, Hard to hear entertainment system sound. Horrible food. Staff doesn't care much about the passengers. 2nd time they didn't give me my vegetarian meal. They asked me regular food with meat. The airline and staff was from United airlines.

Lufthansa charged me $280 to take skiiis when in the US the boot bag and skiis are one check-in bag. This was not advertised and a real shock at the airport. They only took the boot bag as a check-in item. The seats have been squeezed together like any economy airline and legroom is not as good as it used to be. Otherwise, the flight was fine and staff was helpful for making my connection.

Boarding was orderly, pilot and flight attendants were nice, entertainment options were good, and low sodium meals were quite tasty.

Flight delayed, connection was not at gate listed and so missed, staff were rude at Heathrow, phone tree stupid and difficult, took me 21 actual hours to reach my destination. Almost lost my hotel reservation after walking in a strange city alone after midnight because they would not put me up in a hotel at sfo or heathrow. I will never fly BA again and will tell all people and Instagram followers never to fly BA.

Wish the food and overall service was better. They treat Business class passengers same as economy

Loved the boarding option from Business class lounge, experience on flight was excellent, plenty of good food choices

Check in was was and the agent was very friendly and helpful The lounge was nice...boarding was straight from the lounge Everything worked at our seats, and video entertainment was good ..food was mediocre

Airlines have to stop assuming passengers bring entertainment. Provide it like you used to in business class and above!! N

Crying baby the ENTIRE flight. Not your fault, but I paid 2700 for a premium economy ticket and it wasn't worth it. should have just stuck with coach. flight attendants very mediocre - minimal effort. Plane didn't seem very clean. Didn't have any cleansing wipes - most airlines give you this when you board. Flat screen scrolling didn't work. Toiletry case a joke - why bother at all?

Enjoyable flight, helpful crew everything was organized to accommodate passengers.

This was the second time on BA, food terrible, bathrooms gross,( granted, that was mostly due to the disgusting children urinating all over it)boarding was late and disorganized. No gate issued until last minute st Heathrow, bad system, caused undue stress. Seats were painful, that's what you get for traveling like a poor in economy, right BA? Should have been able to afford business or first class if you want to actually be able to walk upright without back pain after a trip.

The delay was not communicated via text and the person who helped with check in also didn’t inform me about the delay. I ended up missing my connection and it was a waste of 5 hours. The crew didn’t mention there would be someone at the gate informing of if I would be rebooked and there was no signage. Overall a very poor experience. The British Airways app was also very buggy, and didn’t work. I will avoid flying with British Airways when possible.

The flight left 1.5 hours late but there was no information about the delay. My business class cabinet had two small children who cried much of the trip. Service seemed rushed.

Could have a friendlier crew. The entertainment should be updated to be more current

One of the bathrooms was out of order, I paid $20 for the WiFi and it worked 20% of the time. And when it worked., it didn’t work well. The seats were tight, but that is something that cannot change. The flight was smooth but to know fault of the crew, the flight was delayed an hour leaving sfo. The crew was polite yet efficient.

We had premium economy seats and the only difference from economy was legroom. Only one restroom for about 50 passengers was a little uncomfortable. Dinner was rather unpleasant but breakfast was good. Entertainment selection pretty good and you can use Bluetooth headphones. Flight attendants were okay.

The breakfast snack was horrible. No nutrition value. I couldn't finish it. The main meal had no taste, no real vegetable, the brownie had no chocolate taste., I was not even sure what the salad consists off.

Our connection in Frankfurt was the worst ever. No one from the airline or the airport seemed to be bothered to get us into our connecting flight on time! The procedures at the airport took us forever and we barely made it into our flight. If we had missed it, I’m sure we would’ve missed our cruise. Looks like everything is on autopilot and no one is interested in helping customers anymore especially us 69 year olds

They answer the phone promptly. Crew is friendly and they work efficiently.

The seating was exactly same as the rest of the plane. We had no space for our knees. In fact it was the tightest spacing of the seats I ever flew with, on a very old plane. (and we flew all over Asia and Europe) The same chairs. We were the only passengers in business or first class. Obviously funny.... The only difference was, we got a sendwich and we were offered a drink. Rest of the plane got a bottle of water.

Helpful crew in a comfortable and well designed aircraft. My kids also loved the striped design of the airplane.

Very good except for the screaming 5 year old that was allowed to yell and scream whenever he wanted too! The mom obviously had no concept of “inside voices”!

Everything you need to know for your flight to Europe

Information on your arrival and departure airports