SJO - SFO

$170 Find Cheap Flights from San José to San Francisco

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 José to San Francisco departing on 9/9. 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

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to San Francisco.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to San Francisco.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San José to San Francisco (SJO-SFO)

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

Thu, Sep 4 - Mon, Sep 8
Avianca Logo
5:05 am - 12:35 pmSJO-SFO
8h 30m1 stop
Avianca Logo
8:00 am - 11:35 pmSFO-SJO
14h 35m2 stops
$246Avianca
Find Deal
Mon, Nov 3 - Tue, Nov 18
Alaska Airlines Logo
1:58 am - 5:27 pmSJO-SFO
17h 29m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:23 pm - 12:38 amSFO-SJO
28h 15m2 stops
$295Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Oct 23 - Mon, Oct 27
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 12:05 amSJO-SFO
18h 35m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:23 pm - 11:51 pmSFO-SJO
28h 28m2 stops
$332Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 4 - Mon, Sep 8
Avianca Logo
6:10 am - 5:46 pmSJO-SFO
12h 36m2 stops
Avianca Logo
8:00 am - 11:35 pmSFO-SJO
14h 35m2 stops
$341Avianca
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 11
Avianca Logo
3:05 pm - 10:45 pmSJO-SFO
8h 40m1 stop
Avianca Logo
2:20 pm - 11:35 pmSFO-SJO
8h 15m1 stop
$347Avianca
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 11 - Sun, Sep 21
Avianca Logo
3:05 pm - 10:45 pmSJO-SFO
8h 40m1 stop
Avianca Logo
12:05 am - 8:40 amSFO-SJO
7h 35m1 stop
$348Avianca
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 28 - Tue, Sep 2
Copa Airlines Logo
4:10 am - 11:39 pmSJO-SFO
20h 29m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
1:30 am - 1:54 pmSFO-SJO
11h 24m1 stop
$367Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 4 - Sun, Sep 7
Copa Airlines Logo
10:05 am - 11:25 pmSJO-SFO
14h 20m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
1:30 am - 4:52 pmSFO-SJO
14h 22m2 stops
$372Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 4 - Tue, Sep 9
JetBlue Logo
1:00 pm - 11:10 pmSJO-SFO
11h 10m1 stop
JetBlue Logo
11:20 pm - 11:55 amSFO-SJO
11h 35m1 stop
$388JetBlue
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 6 - Sat, Sep 13
JetBlue Logo
1:00 pm - 11:10 pmSJO-SFO
11h 10m1 stop
JetBlue Logo
11:20 pm - 11:55 amSFO-SJO
11h 35m1 stop
$393JetBlue
Find Deal
Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from San José to San Francisco

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airports
SJO

For a smooth departure from SJO, use the self-check-in kiosks at Terminal A. Arrive early as security line lengths can vary.

Read more about SJOby Mark Chesnut
SFO

Upon arrival at SFO, consider using BART for a cost-effective ride to the city. The station is in the International Terminal.

Read more about SFOby Blane Bachelor
Our travel experts
Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on SJO

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and has covered air travel for multiple top consumer and trade media outlets.

Read more
Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SFO

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Read more
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San José to San Francisco 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 José to San Francisco?

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to San Francisco, 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 José to San Francisco is October, where tickets cost $437 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $618 and $578 respectively.

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

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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 2 stops layover the cheapest option at $605 on average.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to San Francisco, 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 José to San Francisco, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 11% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 13 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJune
Cheapest flight$170
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 4% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 9% increase in price.
Flight from San José to San Francisco

When to book flights from San José to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San José to San Francisco 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 José to San Francisco

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San José to San Francisco was $170 for a one-way ticket and $246 for a round-trip.

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

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

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

    On your way to San Francisco, you’ll fly out from San José Juan Santamaria Intl. You’ll be landing at San Francisco.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from San José to San Francisco?

    All the following airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San José to San Francisco flight route: Iberia, Lufthansa, Delta, British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines.

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

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San José to San Francisco flight route.

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

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between San José and San Francisco.

  • On which days can I fly direct from San José to San Francisco?

    There are nonstop flights from San José to San Francisco on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San José to San Francisco, Alaska Airlines or Copa Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to San Francisco are Alaska Airlines and Copa Airlines. With an average price for the route of $617 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Copa Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $454 and an overall rating of 7.5.

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

    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 José to San Francisco.

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

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

    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 San Francisco with an airline and back to San José with another airline. Booking your flights between San José and SFO 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 José to San Francisco?

    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 San Francisco from San José 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 José to San Francisco

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $193 or less one-way and $410 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from San José to San Francisco?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl to San Francisco.
Find which airlines fly direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport to San Francisco Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San José Juan Santamaria Intl to San Francisco

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San José to San Francisco. 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 José to San Francisco? 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.
8.0
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 10000 reviews
8.5Crew
7.0Entertainment
7.1Food
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
Airline reviews

Flight was delayed - we left at 11:30 pm instead of 10:30 and it was extremely inconvenient. It affected both the day of the flight and the next day

6.0 GoodAnonymous, Aug 2025LAX - SFO
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Flight was delayed - we left at 11:30 pm instead of 10:30 and it was extremely inconvenient. It affected both the day of the flight and the next day

I don’t like it stuff not friendly and no one help for my mom she 82 years old lady I requested wheel chair but no one provided and no one help.

If there were movies it would have made the flight much easier.

I loved that the checking in process was seamlessly easy and user friendly. The crew was very nice and professional. Unfortunately, we were seated in the back of the plane across from the bathroom. There wasn’t much room for leg room and comfortability. Alongside, we had to listen to a baby crying up and down the aisle way for the entire plane ride. The turbulence of the plane landing was rocky. Overall, the experience with Alaska was just okay. We made it home alive so that’s always a positive.

would have been nice for flight to not be delayed by 2 hours so that we had to pay $80 to get home since BART had shut down. i thought a 10pm arrival would leave enough time to account for delays but i was wrong.

One of the best roundtrip flights I’ve ever been on. We needed assistance for my elderly mother and without fail, each and every Alaska team member was helpful, kind, and patient. Will fly Alaska again and again.

As always to close confinement for passengers not in upgrades. I like that you still get carry on and personal bag.

I had a negative experience, the flight delay was very long, I didn't like it

The seats in first class are very dated and quite uncomfortable. I don’t need lie-flat seats for a 6 hour flight, but more recline is really necessary.

One of the stewardess, Tre, went above and beyond to ensure my comfort!

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

horrible service, food was an embarrassment, no charging for cellphones, stay away

Great experience with a crew always thinking in the passenger

Very happy with my flight. I would definitely recommend it.

Did upgrade, travel in business it was great (more room I could sleep)

Had to go through security at the gate again. Had to take off shoes and go through the whole thing again even though we have global entry. They asked us to check in items bought at duty free during our layover and since we checked our luggage at the original departure airport, they forced us to check in a small backpack. None of this ever happened with other airlines. In addition, no vegetarian food option and no snacks during a 7 hr flight. Luggage limits are unusually small. This is unacceptable. Will NEVER fly Copa again and will tell friends and family to avoid this airline.

We paid extra with copa for seats near one another The plane was changed and we lost our seats We were all Separated. We have not received a refund for our seats despite emailing and calling.

It was ok. However, the food was quite poor since I don't eat pasta.

Tell people to remain in their seats during the meal/beverage distribution. Enforce boarding by group numbers. No one was checking. Tell people to turn their electronics speakers off. Bigger cups for drinks.

Placed us in the last rear row of the plane so could not recline seats because of the rear wall, and also made it more of a tight space when the passenger in front reclined their seat. While understand seat assignments, every passenger should be afforded a reclining seat. The odor control scent from the restrooms was overwhelming strong. My wife and I could not deal with it, and she suffered a terrible headache as a result. I kept getting hit by the crew since I was on the ilse seat. No apologies, nothing. They made me feel like I was supposed to take the beating for a 3 hr flight.

1. when we went to check in, our 2 first class seats had been CANCELED and the flight was sold out. This was done without our prior knowledge. It was all we could do to restore one first class seat for my wife and I flew economy. 2, Our flight home was scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm. Due to tsunami warnings, the roads were closed and our flight status was uncertain as to whether it would leave as scheduled. It was announced that it would now leave at 11:20 pm and the roads were now open since the tsunami had come and gone. We made a mad dash to the airport and checked in. Delays were announced at 12:30 pm, 1:30 am, 2:30 am and at 3:30 am it was canceled. Since this was a flight due to natural (tsunami) causes, there was no compensation. We were told to return at 1:00 pm the next day and our baggage would be kept on the plane since the same plane was going to leave at 1:00 pm. We had to return to our hotel for the rest of the night. The same plane did not leave at 1:00 pm and our baggage was gone! All in all, it was a miserable performance by UA. Information was hard to obtain and no one knew what was going on and what was going to happen. Hundreds of passengers slept on the floor, chairs, etc. No food and no water was made available to the passengers. It was a situation where UA could care less what was going on. As a one million mile flyer, I had not experienced anything like this before and it was hugely disappointing!

I found the staff to not be very attentive at all. When paying for Business Class you expect a certain type of service and that was not found. They were almost rude even

Our experience on United Airlines was extremely poor. The plane was extremely cold throughout our entire flight- which multiple people complained about- and we had to wait 2 hours to get a blanket which was too thin and barely helped warm us up. As well as this, none of the entertainment features were working so we had to sit through a roughly 10 hour flight with nothing to keep our attention, including the actual flight path screen. It was an extremely disappointing experience and I would hope that this gets fixed if we ever choose United Airlines again.

I really enjoyed flying with United airlines amazing experience , good customer service and great food

1.It will be better if sandwich is warm. 2.The food is too salty. 3.Breakfast needs some vegetables or fruits.

Boarded plane and then delayed 1.5 hours while on the plane

It was all good flight was on time, service was good I enjoyed a few movies and everything was smooth

My flight was delayed a very short period of time but they did not hold my connecting flight to San Diego, also through United. So they closed the doors before we got off our plane. They would only have to help the door open for another five to ten minutes. So I missed a court deadline for a manditory mediation settlement conference for my client. I had to get an associate to be there in person and be on the phone with him relaying what he needs to do the entire time. The court was very upset with me and so was my client. United cannot be trusted.

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

There is no room, no gluten free options, or any free internet/entertainment. You have to bring your own tablet or smartphone because there are no screens.

American Airlines is a mediocre airlines: they do not maintain the highest standard of cleanliness in the cabins, and the food is not well thought out. Service is not at top of mind compared to other international airlines such as Singapore Airlines, JAL or others.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

Boarding gate in Honolulu was staffed with a great clerk with a soothing voice despite the flight delay of over an hour. Flight attendants in the plane were all grumpy, not pleasant looking bunch. Their sour attitude showed throughout the flight. Inly able to get a select few movies started. Most of the movie links in the “free entertainment” did not work.

I flew Business Class. Rory, one of the Cabin stewards, was attentive, explained the menu, provided appropriate drinks. was

This was a horrible experience. For a first class experience, my chair was held together by 3M tape - and I have a photo. The crew weren’t very attentive, somewhat dismissive and forgot my drink and snack, the chair reclined about 3 inches on a 6-hour cross country flight. I was also not informed that there was no lounge available in Newark airport because of renovations, so all around this was one of the worst experiences and I would actively avoid both American and Alaska Air going forward.

Boarding was very efficient. Everyone got on board and we got on our way very quickly. It was frustrating that the entertainment app was not functioning properly. I was not able to activate some of the movies offered. The crew on this flight appears to be pretty grumpy. They had no smile on their faces. I felt like they were doing us a favor for being there.

Loved the staff, boarding and drink options! Wish the comfort of the seat could have been better nevertheless

Honestly, I haven’t flown American in years, probably due to the pandemic and my being unable to travel for certain periods in the last two years, but it was a good experience to dig out or obtain a new American Airlines account after many years of traveling for business with American in the past.

Long 5 hour and 45 min flight and only one drink service and cookie snack

The check in is the only positive thing in Avianca. The seat is the most uncomfortable I have traveled, the distance is minimal.

Not what it used to be. The sale of food makes them look greedy!

Avianca is not what it used to be. So disappointing

It was horrible. My experience with Avianca. I didn’t know it was Pakistan international Airlines but anyway, whatever it is it is bad horrible you guys need to upgrade everything in those planes. And you guys charge $130 for a carry-on did they wanna let me in with my carry-on that I travel everywhere with the luggage you guys are such a dog thank you

why did we have to go through security mid flight

The incoming plane was late and no information was shared. They even announced we would board in 10 muntes 40 minutes prior to the plane arriving, and the website said until takeoff that we had taken off an hour earlier

Seats are very tight even in Plus, no complimentary snacks or beverage

Late departure. When the flight arrived in Medellin the plane sat at the gate for 20 minutes waiting for a bus for us to get off the plane.

I receive a service for what I pay, so it is fair.

A few years ago long flights 6 hours or so used to have video screens and they offered ear phones. The food cart used to come and drinks. Now absolutely nothing. Avianca is as bad as Spirit Airlines. Avianca will now be my last choice when booking my next flight.

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