NYC → SFO

Cheap Flights from New York to San Francisco

San Francisco, CA · 2,580 miles · nonstop from JFK and Newark (EWR)

5h 55m nonstop From $126 2,580 mi Cheapest in January

Lowest fare found via Travelpayouts for travel around Sep 16 · prices update daily.

$126

Lowest fare

live, one-way

$189

Average fare

one-way

5h 55m

Nonstop time

2,580 mi

Jan

Cheapest month

~$172

What cheap flights to San Francisco actually cost

At an average of $189 one-way over 2,580 miles, San Francisco works out to 7.3¢ per mile — unusually good value for the distance, cheaper per mile than 92% of the US destinations we track. By headline fare it is the 42nd cheapest of our 50 US destinations.

Across a full year, modelled one-way fares to San Francisco range from about $172 in January to roughly $227 in October — a $55 swing, or about 28% around the $193 annual average. Peak demand months for this route are June, September, October, which is when both fares and hotel rates run highest. If your dates are flexible, moving a trip out of October and into January is worth more than almost any booking trick.

Month-by-month fares: New York to San Francisco

$172

Jan

$182

Feb

$182

Mar

$192

Apr

$172

May

$227

Jun

$192

Jul

$182

Aug

$227

Sep

$227

Oct

$182

Nov

$182

Dec

* Modelled from this route's $189 historical average and its peak-demand months (Jun, Sep, Oct), scaled by haul length. Not a live quote — the search box above returns current fares.

About San Francisco, CA

San Francisco packs the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and steep, foggy hills into a compact, walkable peninsula. It's a launchpad for wine country and the Pacific Coast Highway.

SFO is United's Pacific gateway, so their nonstops from EWR are the backbone of this route, just under six hours westbound. JetBlue, Delta, Alaska and American also fly it from JFK. It's a premium-cabin battleground like LA, so lie-flat business seats show up on the widebodies. Three hours back. June, September and October hold value; skip the fogged-in early-summer mornings if a view matters to you. The eastbound red-eye saves a hotel night. EWR is genuinely more convenient for United flyers and often cheaper on this pairing, worth the trek across the Hudson.

Top things to do in San Francisco:

•Golden Gate Bridge & Presidio
•Alcatraz Island
•Napa & Sonoma wine country day trips

Which NYC airport for San Francisco?

San Francisco is 2,580 miles out — beyond LaGuardia's 1,500-mile perimeter rule, which is why you will not find a nonstop from LGA. Compare JFK and Newark (EWR) instead; on a route this long the fare gap between the two is often larger than any bag fee you are trying to avoid.

JFK guide EWR guide

How to get the cheapest fare to San Francisco

1Book roughly 8-12 weeks ahead — that is the window that fits a 2,580-mile transcontinental route like San Francisco, not the generic "book on a Tuesday" advice.
2Search JFK and Newark (EWR) separately. LaGuardia cannot serve this route nonstop, so a LGA-inclusive "all airports" search mostly returns connections.
3Target January (modelled around $172) and avoid October (around $227) if your dates can move.
4Red-eyes back from San Francisco are usually the cheapest departure bank of the day, and on a 5h 55m sector you get a genuine night of sleep out of it.
5If you are comparing a $123 ultra-low-cost fare against a $189 mainline one, add the bag and seat fees first — on this route that gap usually closes to under $20.
6Set a price alert rather than watching manually. This route's modelled swing is $55 across the year, so the drops are worth catching.

Need a place to stay in San Francisco?

Once your flight's sorted, it's worth comparing hotels and short stays early — the best-located rooms tend to book up first. Takes a minute to see what's available for your dates.

Search hotels for your trip

Sorted a ride in San Francisco from the airport?

Booking an airport transfer ahead of time means a driver's waiting when you land — no taxi queue or surge pricing after a long flight. Worth comparing a fixed-price pickup for your arrival.

Compare airport transfers

Planning what to do in San Francisco?

The popular museums, tours, and attractions often sell out on peak days — it's worth booking skip-the-line tickets before you go so your trip isn't spent waiting in queues.

Find things to do

FAQ: flights from NYC to San Francisco

One-way fares to San Francisco average about $189, with the cheapest tickets landing near $129 and round trips typically running $378-$473. Across the year our modelled fares move between $172 in January and $227 in October, averaging $193. That makes San Francisco the 42nd cheapest of the 50 US destinations we track from New York.

Aim for 8-12 weeks ahead. San Francisco is 2,580 miles from New York, and booking windows scale with distance — short hops reward booking late, long hauls punish it. Booking inside two weeks on this route usually means paying close to the October peak of $227 regardless of when you actually travel.

January, at a modelled $172 one-way. The most expensive is October at around $227. Peak season for this route is June, September, October, so the shoulder weeks either side of those months are usually the sweet spot for fare and weather together.

A nonstop takes about 5h 55m covering 2,580 miles, departing from JFK and Newark (EWR). Connecting itineraries typically add two to four hours depending on the hub.

San Francisco packs the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, and steep, foggy hills into a compact, walkable peninsula. It's a launchpad for wine country and the Pacific Coast Highway. Travellers from New York most often build a trip around Golden Gate Bridge & Presidio, Alcatraz Island, Napa & Sonoma wine country day trips.