£213 Find Cheap Flights from San José to San Francisco – Compare and Save

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

• Earliest: departs at 08:40 and lands at 15:37
• Latest: departs at 09:40 and lands at 16:37.

The flight takes about 6h 57m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San José to San Francisco.

A direct flight from San José to San Francisco takes 6h 57m, covering 3,039 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.

Return flights from San José to San Francisco range from £379 to £583, with an average of £470 over the past 12 months. Anything below £379 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 2% below the route average of £470. Booking late can sometimes save money on this route, but inventory is limited.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average £307 return via Orlando (MCO), compared with £618 for direct.

United Airlines is the only airline operating San José to San Francisco flights. 93% of its flights are on time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £26–£75 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by United Airlines and JetBlue. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner variants.

Morning is the busiest departure period on San José to San Francisco flights, with 100% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 0%, Evening flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about £411 to £2,496. That means the highest observed fare was about 6x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from San José to San Francisco are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about £247, which is 17% below the typical average for this route.

San Francisco Airport (SFO) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around £11 for economy cars. Top options include:
• Thrifty
• Europcar
• Dollar
• Hertz
• Fox

Flights from San José to San Francisco usually depart from San José Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) and arrive at San Francisco (SFO).

Morning 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.

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 José to San Francisco route, 7% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 28 minutes.

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

• San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) – 68% of one-stop connections
• Panama City Tocumen Intl (PTY) – 13% of one-stop connections
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – 10% of one-stop connections
• Los Angeles (LAX) – 6% of one-stop connections

San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) 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 José to San Francisco route. Friday is the cheapest departure day at £446 return on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at £506, a difference of £60. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

Only United Airlines operates flights between San José and San Francisco.

Flying via San Salvador El Salvador Intl (SAL) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 8h 38m, compared to 9h 50m via Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and 10h 25m via Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS).

San Francisco is 1 hour behind San José (Pacific Time vs Central Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in San Francisco are Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, and Moscone Center. These are among the most viewed places in San Francisco on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating San José to San Francisco flights:

• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Avianca: offers free seat selection
• JetBlue: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection

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

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
• Avianca: a cabin bag in Economy class class
• Copa Airlines: a cabin bag in Economy class class

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