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Cheap Flights from San Diego (SANA) to San Francisco (SFO)

Compare San Diego to San Francisco International flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to San Francisco International

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Flight deals from San Diego to San Francisco International

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from San Diego to San Francisco International? Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
San Francisco.$85 per passenger.Departing Tue, 5 Aug, returning Sun, 10 Aug.Return flight with Southwest Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Diego International on Tue, 5 Aug, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Sun, 10 Aug, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $85, select.
San Francisco.$86 per passenger.Departing Tue, 22 Jul, returning Tue, 5 Aug.Return flight with Southwest Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Diego International on Tue, 22 Jul, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 5 Aug, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $86, select.
San Francisco.$87 per passenger.Departing Thu, 24 Jul, returning Sun, 27 Jul.Return flight with Southwest Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Diego International on Thu, 24 Jul, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Sun, 27 Jul, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $87, select.
San Francisco.$112 per passenger.Departing Sat, 20 Sep, returning Tue, 23 Sep.Return flight with Southwest Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Diego International on Sat, 20 Sep, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 23 Sep, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $112, select.
San Francisco.$112 per passenger.Departing Sat, 25 Oct, returning Sat, 1 Nov.Return flight with Southwest Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Diego International on Sat, 25 Oct, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Southwest Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 1 Nov, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $112, select.
San Francisco.$113 per passenger.Departing Sun, 2 Nov, returning Fri, 7 Nov.Return flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Diego International on Sun, 2 Nov, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Fri, 7 Nov, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $113, select.
San Francisco.$119 per passenger.Departing Sat, 13 Sep, returning Sat, 4 Oct.Return flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Diego International on Sat, 13 Sep, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 4 Oct, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $119, select.
San Francisco.$119 per passenger.Departing Sat, 30 Aug, returning Sat, 6 Sep.Return flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Diego International on Sat, 30 Aug, arriving in San Francisco International.Inbound direct flight with Frontier Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 6 Sep, arriving in San Diego International.Price includes taxes and charges.From $119, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from San Diego to San Francisco International

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like San Diego to San Francisco International flights are currently cheapest in August.
Jul
from $87
Aug
from $85
Sep
from $112
Oct
from $119
Nov
from $113
Dec
from $198
Jan
from $293
Feb
from $290
Mar
from $354
Apr
Find prices
May
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Jun
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Direct flights from San Diego to San Francisco International

San Diego to San Francisco International: Alternative routes

Compare routes from San Diego to San Francisco below. You may find an airport to fly into that's cheaper, faster, or easier than San Francisco International.

San Diego to San Francisco: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight found$85
Cheapest month to flyAugust
Average flight time1 hr, 43 mins
Most popular airlineSouthwest Airlines
Average flights per week580

Finding cheap flights from San Diego to San Francisco International: Frequently asked questions

The best price we found for a return flight from San Diego to San Francisco International is $85. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
1 hour and 43 minutes is the average flight time from San Diego to San Francisco International.
Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and SkyWest Airlines fly direct from San Diego to San Francisco International.
As of July 2025, there are 580 flights per week flying from San Diego to San Francisco International.
The cheapest month to fly from San Diego to San Francisco International is usually August.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it is currently cheapest to fly from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, 5 August 2025.
Yes – the average flight time is 1 hour and 43 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to San Francisco International but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to San Francisco is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
The cheapest airline that flies to San Francisco International is Southwest Airlines .

Travelling from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO): What you need to know

  • Kick off your journey at one of San Diego's main airports, San Diego International Airport (SAN) or McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD). Explore your options for booking a flight from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) leaving from either of these.

  • Around 1 hour 40 minutes is how long you'll be travelling on a direct San Diego to San Francisco International Airport flight.

  • San Diego and San Francisco (where San Francisco International Airport is located) share the UTC-7 timezone. That means you won't have to change your watch when you land.

  • San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the most popular route. There are 119 direct flights a week to choose from. If you prefer to head out later, hop on the last flight with Alaska Airlines at 10:20pm. Go for the first SAN to SFO departure with Alaska Airlines at 6:15am if you'd rather get going earlier.

  • Arriving two hours before an international flight and one hour ahead of a domestic departure are travel rules to live by. Get to the airport on time to catch your flight from San Diego to SFO.

  • Peak season means busier airports, so aim to get there even earlier. Give yourself at least two hours before a domestic flight and four hours for an international journey to stay on schedule.

Airports in San Diego

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

  • San Diego International Airport (SAN) is a convenient option for travelling directly to your destination. Nonstop flights from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) can be booked from this terminal.

  • Well-known airlines that operate direct flights from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport out of SAN include:

  • The top choice among passengers flying between SAN and SFO is United Airlines.

  • Among carriers operating on this route, United Airlines has the highest percentage of on-time landings.

  • Located around 5 kilometres from central San Diego, SAN can be reached in about 10 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey on public transport will take roughly 20 minutes.

  • Catching an early flight from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport? Avoid the stress of rushing to the terminal (and get a little more snooze time) by choosing one of these hotels near San Diego International Airport:

  • 71.38% of flights that take off from San Diego International Airport land at their destination on time.

  • SAN's address is N Harbour Dr.

McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)

  • With public transport, you can travel from central San Diego to CLD in about 2 hours 15 minutes. The airport is roughly 56 kilometres away, and getting there by car takes approximately 40 minutes.

  • Got an early start? Think about checking in to one of these hotels near McClellan-Palomar Airport the day before your San Diego to SFO flight:

About San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

Getting from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to central San Francisco

  • San Francisco International Airport to the centre of San Francisco is about 18 kilometres. If you're taking a cab or renting a car, plan in advance to make your trip as easy as possible. Journey times vary depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.

  • Travelling by public transport will take you roughly 45 minutes.

How to find the cheapest flights from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

  • The cheapest price we've found for a one-way ticket from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport is $43. For a return flight on this route, the best price is $85. Depending on when and how early you book, these fares can change.

  • Book 11 months before you travel. Research into pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from San Diego to SFO.

  • The best month for finding cheap San Diego to San Francisco International Airport tickets is April. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then choose the dates with the lowest fares.

  • Save time searching for cheap flight tickets from San Diego to SFO by creating a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or push notification on the app when a lower fare pops up.

  • Lock in a cheap flight from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport by using filters. Select your ideal times, number of stops and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.

The best time to fly from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

  • February is the quietest month for flights from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), while August is the most popular. Figure out the ideal time to go to San Francisco based on whether you like a laid-back vibe or a lively atmosphere.

  • The warmest month in San Francisco is September, with temperatures ranging between 12ºC (54ºF) and 22ºC (72ºF). Book your San Diego to SFO flight ticket then if that's your ideal forecast.

  • Search for cheap tickets from San Diego to San Francisco International Airport in January if you want to travel in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 6ºC (43ºF) and 16ºC (61ºF).

More about San Francisco

Explore more of the United States

  • San Francisco has its own special appeal, but there are so many other corners of the United States you'll want to see. Around 257 kilometres east of San Francisco, a visit to Fresno will keep your itinerary packed. Start with attractions like Forestiere Underground Gardens, Shinzen Japanese Garden and Fresno Chaffee Zoo.

  • Sacramento is another standout destination in the United States and is around 129 kilometres north-east of San Francisco. No trip is complete without experiencing Old Sacramento Waterfront, Fright Planet - America's Haunted Theme Park and California State Railroad Museum.

Plan the rest of your trip from San Diego to San Francisco

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.