£286 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to London – Compare and Save

If you are flying into Gatwick Airport but planning on staying in downtown London, the easiest way to travel between these two destinations is by taking the train. The Gatwick Express is a popular option, as the entire journey only takes 45 minutes and it stops at several major stations in the city center.

The Leonardo Hotel is a stylish 4-star choice that is directly adjacent to London Heathrow Airport and only a 25-minute drive from the famous Windsor Castle. The Renaissance London is less than a 10-minute walk to the airport and is a 20-minute drive from the Royal Botanic Gardens.

If you would like to store some of your luggage or personal items at London Heathrow Airport, stop by the Arrivals wing in either Terminal 2, 3, 4, or 5. The employees at the luggage desks can keep your items for up to 90 days and can charge you both daily and hourly rates, depending on how long you plan on keeping your things there.

London Heathrow Airport is home to St. George’s Chapel as well as 4 different interfaith prayer rooms. Each of these prayer rooms is open during standard business hours and they are available for all travelers, regardless of their religious affiliations.

Nursing rooms are available at San Francisco Airport for passengers travelling with infants. Family restrooms and a nursery are available in Terminals 1, 2, and 3. SFO Kids’ Spot is also available for parents who want to keep their kids entertained as they await their flight. Children’s play areas are located in Terminal 1 near the boarding area and Terminal 2 near Gates 54A and 58B after the security area.

A quick and convenient way to travel from downtown San Francisco to SFO Airport is via the Amtrak train. You can access San Francisco Airport from the Amtrak train station via the Bay Area Rapid Rail, which takes around 40min. The other alternative transfer option is a taxi, which takes approximately 25–30min. The SamTrans public bus service also offers transport services from San Mateo County and other parts of San Francisco to SFO Airport. The bus drops off passengers near Courtyard 2 in Terminal 2 and near Courtyard 4 in Terminal 3.

While Heathrow Express is slighter quicker than the Heathrow Connect, the latter offers cheaper transfer options from Heathrow to central London. The Heathrow Connect train leaves the airport every 30 minutes and takes around 40min from Terminal 5 to London’s central business district.

ATMs are available in all terminals at London Heathrow, and Travelex also provides currency exchange services across all terminals at London Heathrow. It is recommended to use the pick-up and order-online service at LHR. There are 35 currency exchange locations throughout the airport, with most operating from as early as 05:00 to 22:00.

Most flights from San Francisco to London include at least one stop. Most airlines operate multiple routes with different stopovers. JFK International Airport (JFK) in New York is a common stopover, as are Seattle Airport (SEA) and Salt Lake City (SLC).

If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint on this route, you might want to fly with WestJet. The Canadian airline has one of North America's most fuel efficient fleets and they've teamed up with Carbonzero to offset their emissions. They emit up to 32% less CO2 than average flights from San Francisco to London.

Most airlines operating flights from San Francisco to London allow you to bring a personal item and a carry on suitcase when you fly on their cheapest tickets. You can choose to add checked luggage as an additional extra or upgrade to a higher fare.

TSA PreCheck is available at the departure airports for flights from San Francisco to London and most airlines operating this route are partnered with the program. If you're flying on a UK Passport, you'll need to enrol in the Global Entry program before applying for TSA PreCheck. 

Among airlines operating San Francisco to London flights:

• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• British Airways: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Virgin Atlantic: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Delta: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Air France: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

3 airlines operate flights between San Francisco and London. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• British Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

Flights from San Francisco to London usually depart from San Francisco (SFO) and may arrive at several airports in London area, including London City (LCY), London Gatwick (LGW), London Heathrow (LHR), London Luton (LTN), London Southend (SEN) and London Stansted (STN).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• British Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Virgin Atlantic: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Three cabin classes are available on flights from San Francisco to London:

• Economy class
• Premium Economy Class
• Business Class

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average £365 return via San Diego (SAN), compared with £665 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £52–£74 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

One-stop flights from San Francisco to London most commonly connect through:

• Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH) – 28% of one-stop connections
• Dublin (DUB) – 21% of one-stop connections
• Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) – 18% of one-stop connections
• Zurich (ZRH) – 7% of one-stop connections

Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 12% on the San Francisco to London route. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at £624 return on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at £703, a difference of £79. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the San Francisco to London route, 11% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 34 minutes.

Afternoon is the busiest departure period on San Francisco to London flights, with 50% leaving in that window. Evening departures account for 50%, Morning flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

Some of the most popular sights in London are London Victoria Station, London Euston Railway Station, and Hyde Park. These are among the most viewed places in London on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from San Francisco to London:

• Earliest: departs at 12:50 and lands at 23:18
• Latest: departs at 21:35 and lands at 08:03.

The flight takes about 10h 28m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 0% above the route average of £654. Book 26 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from San Francisco to London takes 10h 28m, covering 5,358 miles.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

One-way fares from San Francisco to London are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about £293, which is 21% below the typical average for this route.

British Airways is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while Virgin Atlantic has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on San Francisco to London flights are:

• British Airways: 92% on time
• Virgin Atlantic: 89% on time
• United Airlines: 87% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 89% of the time.

Evening flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Dublin (DUB) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 14h 05m, compared to 14h 25m via Denver Intl (DEN) and 14h 28m via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

London is 8 hours ahead of San Francisco (British Time vs Pacific Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Since London is served by multiple airports, car hire options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near London Heathrow Airport (LHR) – daily rates from around £5:

· GREEN MOTION
· DRIVALIA
· Europcar
· Alamo
· Hertz

Near London Gatwick Airport (LGW) – daily rates from around £6:

· GREEN MOTION
· DRIVALIA
· U-Save
· Europcar
· Alamo

Near London City Airport (LCY) – daily rates from around £8:

· GREEN MOTION
· Budget
· Hertz
· Avis
· Sixt

Near London Luton Airport (LTN) – daily rates from around £8:

· GREEN MOTION
· DRIVALIA
· Alamo
· Europcar
· Budget

Near London Stansted Airport (STN) – daily rates from around £7:

· GREEN MOTION
· DRIVALIA
· Europcar
· Alamo
· U-Save

Return flights from San Francisco to London range from £507 to £847, with an average of £654 over the past 12 months. Anything below £507 counts as a good deal.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on San Francisco to London flights:

• • KLM
• • American Airlines