SFO

R11 469 Find Cheap Flights to San Francisco – Compare and Save

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Save 13% or more on flights. Compare deals from all over the web.

Never overpay with our price tracking tools.

Filter searches by price, airline and more to find your best flights.

Everything you should know

Cheapest return flight
R15 201
Typical prices: R16 134-R21 299
Virgin Atlantic
Tue 9/10Wed 24/10
CPT - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
R11 469
Typical prices: R12 375-R18 446
Multiple Airlines
Sat 17/11
JNB - SFO • 3 stops
Top airlines
Best reviews • 8,1 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
Top routes
Cheapest • 10% average savings
Most popular
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 22 weeks in advance save around 26% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 9% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you enjoy your trip to San Francisco!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to San Francisco

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to San Francisco

Fri, Oct 9 - Sat, Oct 24
Virgin Atlantic Logo
20:05 - 23:56CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
36h 51m1 stop Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
Virgin Atlantic Logo
17:55 - 12:05SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
33h 10m1 stop London Heathrow
R15 201Virgin Atlantic
Fri, Oct 9 - Sat, Oct 24
Virgin Atlantic Logo
20:05 - 23:56CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
36h 51m1 stop Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
Virgin Atlantic Logo
17:55 - 12:05SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
33h 10m1 stop London Heathrow
R15 217Virgin Atlantic
Fri, Oct 9 - Sat, Oct 24
Multiple Airlines Logo
20:05 - 23:56CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
36h 51m1 stop Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
Multiple Airlines Logo
17:55 - 12:40SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
33h 45m2 stops London Heathrow Johannesburg OR Tambo
R16 498Multiple Airlines
Wed, Oct 21 - Wed, Oct 28
Turkish Airlines Logo
18:00 - 16:40JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-SFO San Francisco
31h 40m1 stop Istanbul
Turkish Airlines Logo
19:35 - 22:25SFO  San Francisco-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
41h 50m1 stop Istanbul
R16 562Turkish Airlines
Thu, Jan 21 - Mon, Jan 25
Turkish Airlines Logo
18:50 - 16:30JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-SFO San Francisco
31h 40m1 stop Istanbul
Turkish Airlines Logo
18:35 - 11:00SFO  San Francisco-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
30h 25m1 stop Istanbul
R16 595Turkish Airlines
Mon, Sep 21 - Sun, Oct 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:40 - 11:45CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
37h 05m1 stop Amsterdam Schiphol
Multiple Airlines Logo
20:10 - 22:10SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
41h 00m1 stop Paris Charles de Gaulle
R16 611Multiple Airlines
Tue, Sep 29 - Tue, Nov 10
United Airlines Logo
20:00 - 17:23CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
30h 23m2 stops Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Denver Intl
United Airlines Logo
5:00 - 18:00SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
27h 00m2 stops Denver Intl Newark
R16 627United Airlines
Tue, Sep 29 - Tue, Nov 10
United Airlines Logo
20:00 - 17:35CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
30h 35m1 stop Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl
United Airlines Logo
6:35 - 18:00SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
25h 25m2 stops Chicago O'Hare Intl Newark
R16 627United Airlines
Fri, Oct 9 - Sat, Oct 24
KLM Logo
20:05 - 14:20CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
27h 15m2 stops Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
KLM Logo
10:55 - 18:35SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
22h 40m2 stops Austin Bergstrom Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
R16 803KLM
Fri, Oct 9 - Sat, Oct 24
KLM Logo
20:05 - 12:20CPT  Cape Town Intl-SFO San Francisco
25h 15m2 stops Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Salt Lake City
KLM Logo
6:00 - 18:35SFO  San Francisco-CPT Cape Town Intl
27h 35m1 stop Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
R16 803KLM
Booking Insights

Price, demand, and travel trends for South Africa to San Francisco flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines, and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights from South Africa to San Francisco with more confidence.

What is the cheapest flight to San Francisco?

Cape Town to San Francisco is the cheapest route at R15 201 return, found in the past 5 days on KAYAK. Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport to San Francisco is the most popular connection with return deals from R16 562.

How much is a flight to San Francisco?

A return flight to San Francisco costs R17 944 on average, based on data over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Return fares from Cape Town average R17 585, while Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport runs a bit higher at R17 800.

What is the cheapest day to fly to San Francisco?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to San Francisco at R17 379 return on average over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Saturday is the most expensive at R19 638.

What is the cheapest month to fly to San Francisco?

  • March is the cheapest month to fly to San Francisco with an average price of R16 290 return.
  • April (R22 473) and June (R20 919) are the most expensive.
  • Based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to San Francisco?

Night flights to San Francisco are the cheapest at R17 540 return on average. Morning flights are the most expensive at R20 695.

What is a good deal for flights to San Francisco?

Flights under R16 134 are considered a good deal. 25% of KAYAK users found return flights to San Francisco at or below these prices, with the lowest fares from:

  • Cape Town R15 758
  • Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport R16 134
.

When are flights to San Francisco the cheapest?

Flights to San Francisco are cheapest 22 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 26% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for flights to San Francisco

Low season

August

Cheapest flight

R11 469
Best time to beat the crowds (3% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 5% lower on average.
Flights from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport to San Francisco

When to book flights to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to San Francisco based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price

Your questions about flights to San Francisco, answered

Find helpful route details based on KAYAK data, including flight times, airports, airlines, and booking questions.

  • What is the difference between the most popular and the most frequent airline at San Francisco?

    United Airlines operates the most flights from South Africa to San Francisco at 0 per week, and for this route United Airlines is also the airline most often selected by KAYAK users searching for flights from South Africa to San Francisco. The two are sometimes different because flight volume reflects an airline's schedule, while popularity reflects traveller choice.

  • Where can I fly from to get the cheapest fares to San Francisco?

    Based on fares booked in the past 5 days, the cheapest flights to San Francisco are from:
    • Johannesburg, from R16 562 return

  • How do I know if a flight to San Francisco is a good deal?

    A good deal on a flight to San Francisco is around R16 134 return. This fare is in the lowest 25% of return flight prices searched on KAYAK, averaged across the cities most often searched as origins by KAYAK users.

  • How expensive are last-minute flights to San Francisco?

    Last-minute fares to San Francisco – booked within 2 weeks of departure – run 19% above the average return fare of R17 944.

Your guide to booking San Francisco flights

From booking to airport arrival, find tips to help you plan your flight with more confidence.
  • For the best chance at a low fare to San Francisco, aim to book around 22 weeks before you fly. That window historically saves about 26% versus last-minute pricing based on KAYAK booking data over the last 12 months.
  • For flights to San Francisco, recent KAYAK data shows that stronger deals tend to be around R16 134 return. If you see a fare below that threshold, it's a good deal – book before the price climbs back up.
  • If you can choose when to go, aim to travel to San Francisco in March. Return fares historically average R16 290 that month – typically the cheapest month to travel based on the last 12 months.
  • Before you book:

    • Check the route's typical price range so you can spot a deal.
    • Confirm baggage fees and seat selection costs on budget carriers.
    • Verify whether you need any travel documents beyond an ID.
    • Pick a departure airport, since your nearest may not be the cheapest origin.
  • Shift your departure to evening to save up to R3 156 per return. Evening flights to San Francisco average R17 540 compared to R20 695 for morning flights. See the time-of-day chart above for the full breakdown.
  • Once you arrive in San Francisco, a great place to start is Fisherman's Wharf. It is popular with first-time visitors and can give you a good feel for the area.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to San Francisco

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with 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.
7,8
KLMOverall score based on 1576 reviews
7,7Comfort
8,4Crew
7,2Entertainment
7,3Food
7,8Boarding
Airline reviews

The flight itself was fine, food was expired and gross, staff were mostly amazing! KLM messed up rebooking for our first two flights that got cancelled and we almost didn’t make it to Amsterdam for an additional two days

4,0 OkayJessica, Sept 2026
Read more KLM reviews

The flight itself was fine, food was expired and gross, staff were mostly amazing! KLM messed up rebooking for our first two flights that got cancelled and we almost didn’t make it to Amsterdam for an additional two days

I think I previously submitted my feedback about flight lead Katherine in a different field by mistake. Please see those comments. Comments for Hyd to AMS are it was good. The flight lead and service met expectations for satisfactory high quality service but the flight lead did not stand out as exceptional as did the leads on the other two flights so I don’t remember anything specific one way or the other besides the fact I was satisfied.

Flight lead was a gentleman with silver hair and he went out of his way to shake hands and interact with each passenger seated in business class. A medical emergency took place during our flight and he handled it with perfect poise and professionalism. He was gracious and confidently competent. Just what you want from a leader,

Crew is not the cheerful type. very slow meal service (this is their style as have flown this many times)

Legroom not all it could be, especially when the seat in front is reclined. Otherwise it was good, food and beverage were nice.

This fight left ahead of time which meant it arrived early which was great. Staff were very professional, but as with all these Short hop Flights the food was a disappointing snack There was no entertainment on this flight, but I did not expect any

I flew premium economy and this was a good option. Although the seats didn’t recline much, I was able to get some sleep with my head propped against the window. The food was good and the entertainment was wonderful The staff were very attentive and professional

Seats were nice and comfy. Crew was polite and attentive. Business class is awesome and worth the money.

It was operated by Delta. Boarding took a long time. How difficult can it be? Overall decent trip. Liked the Salt Lake City airport. Better option than Chicago for transfers.

We left one hour late because of technical difficulties. The economy comfort seats are great for the price. The crew was mediocre, they do not provide a pleasant experience, they just deliver food and drinks and give orders, not very amicable, no service and hospitality focus.

Paid $10 for wifi for full flight duration and the wifi wasn’t available after initial 2 hours

All the crew members were too slow and rude. Most of the times the registers were empty, while hundreds of customers were waiting in line, and it was impossible to get a supervisor. Despite being in line on time, I missed my freight, plus a some customers who were ahead and behind me.

Wasn’t allowed to continue with the purchased tickets because I hadn’t been able to go on the first scheduled leg.

Do I need to repeat my complaints about my lost carry on bag?

All over with Qatar airlines my experience was really bad due to delays and then putting me on different airlines and after 8 hours of wait I had to listen to their is no plane to fly for another 24 hours. Wore experience ever.

Transit , Too long for terminal change, for a moment I thought Qatar airlines going to Los Angeles by bus. Please make transit convenient and quick.

some sections of airport are too cramped. The screening of luggage was twice and a huge hassle. They kept saying my boarding the for my next flight was in 10 minutes but were dragging the screening too long. having a 2 hour connecting time with this much delays in screenings is not good. They could see I was traveling with special needs kid yet I was" randomly chosen" to be personally screened again.

Ambience of the aircraft was great. Spacious seats with sufficient leg room in economy class. The layover could have been shorter.

Just snacks, could have more options.boarding was good. Everything else was good. We had a very bad experience with Qatar airways. We were deplaned a few minutes after boarding the flight. Had to wait 8 hours at the airport for the next replacement aircraft to take off. Had a harrowing experience. Were offered coupons for a small meal at the airport. Uncertainty caused a lot of stress and I got a cold and flu like symptoms.

Seats were not comfortable and touch free remote wasn’t working.

Nice, it was nice to have a free night's stay because our layover was over 18 hours.

The staff at the boarding or the rudest uninformative and no English whatsoever they’re very rude as if they are envious of you travelling I don’t understand how could someone would be this rude and this out of touch and cold

In this long haul flight, flight attendants never stopped moving and giving excellent service. Very impressive. Very comfortable seats and excellent food

Service and food were decent, seats are a bit too narrow. Leg room is normal. Bathroom should be cleaned more frequently. WiFi is cumbersome and should be simplified.

they have cancell the flight with no reasons, My parents were in the cold weather in the airport for 24 hours they did not give any hotel and food. I hate Turkish Airline, this is our last time that we ha ve chosen Turkish Airline.

Good service, the airline also provided a traveling kit bag (tooth brush, socks, slippers, visor for sleeping).

Food excellent Bathrooms improve cleanliness needed Staff fairly well attentive Entertainment fair Seats lie flat worked well

Connection was a headache due to a delay on arrival flight

Paying for reserved seats and never received the seats I paid for !! Just fake and a surprise out of their " box "

I had connection flight. I barely made it to the next flight. I had to run to get to the next flight which was far away from where my first flight was landed . On top of that they search my stuff before boarding that added to the time. Food was ok but they forgot to serve our row with drink and also when it was our turn, they ran out of second option for food and we didn’t have any options for food.

Boarding, time to take off, in flight offerings, and staff were all great. I recommend using UA for this short flight.

Good experience. Staff was friendly and helpful. Flight was slightly delayed due to airport construction, but they still arrived on time.

This is the worst airline I’ve ever been on in my life and I’ve been probably on 75% of them. I said 15 years ago I would never go on United again. I was an idiot. I booked a flight with them from Las Vegas to San Francisco and of course they screwed that up and cost me a day flying all over the world trying to get to Thailand. My luggage was gone for 35 hours all because they couldn’t make their route on time

The flight out of Fresno boarded 1.5 hour past scheduled and made me miss my connecting flight from SFO to SEA.

Airplane is not very clean, food quality and taste was not good. Lufthansa used to be good but nowadays went down. Overall experience is just okay, wouldn't fly again, prefer Turkish airlines.

I did bought anything… I don’t understand how this book appears to me . Ridiculous

The plane left over an hour late. I missed my connection going to Tokyo. They haven’t sent my bag to Thailand, where I ended up. It took me over 32 hours to get here. Very bad experience so far. I hope they can fix this and get my bag to me, within 24 hours it doesn’t look good at this time.

This flight did not take place because the passenger was in the hospital. We have made so many attempts to rebook this flight and have spoken to so many United Airlines representatives and everyone is giving you a different answer. It has become beyond frustrating to the point where we now have to seek legal help. This is a family of 4 so a lot of money was spent to purchase 4 tickets to go visit their daughter/sister who is a US servicewoman in Okinawa and to be treated with such disdain and disrespect is beyond reprehensible. The main traveler was given sent a letter by United confirming a refund on the tickets and to be able to use them but every attempt to use this has been met with a negative response so much so that the client is over stressed.

The pre-order only approach for fresh food is really challenging

the seat has a problem. the back had a hole.

Lounge was top notch h with great variety of food and drinks. Cabin crew were great. Smooth flight.

My seat 3G did not go down fully and the buttons were not working properly

Great staff, great experience, made a 2 hour delay very bearable

Food was the worst I’ve had on a VA flight. Normally it’s a lot better

The staff was not very polite but the flight was very very nice and comfortable and the entertainment was great

My ticket was for Premium Economy and all the seats were taken, I was placed in Economy class and I’m looking for a refund.

Unfortunately delayed 2 hrs due to faulty tyre.. which had to be changed, but better safe than sorry.

Lots of legroom on the flight. No interaction from the staff at all on the plane. They only attended to the First Class passengers. There was no entertainment. Security I was body scanned even though I hadn't set off an alarm, my father-in-law in his 80s, was stopped and subjected to a through body search, told that they would have to place their hands in intimate places. There were several border guards present, and as we walked off we could hear the TWA officer talk about the procedure as if he was training. My father-in-law was a little upset about the whole process. A kind explanation would have been more acceptable, and it felt dehumanizing to him.

Needed a 6 hour lay over in Atlanta. How can this be avoided ?

If I could fly Virgin Atlantic airlines to every place, I need to go, I would. Leaving Heathrow through the special virgin air entrance, security is completely white glove service. I love this airline. From ticketing agents to flight staff everyone tries to make it a wonderful & happy flight experience. I wish other airlines copied the positive culture of Virgin Airlines.

Travelling to a place near San Francisco?

Book flights to San Francisco if you plan to visit one of these locations
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Folsom
Palo Alto
Emeryville
Fremont
Seaside
Alameda
Turlock
Pleasant Hill
South San Francisco
Vacaville
Sausalito
Roseville
Lathrop
Fairfield
Aptos
Milpitas
West Sacramento

More options for your flight to San Francisco