What percentage of Detroit to San Francisco flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 4.6% of flights from Detroit to San Francisco were direct. For travelers opting for connecting flights, the median number of stopovers was typically 2. This indicates that direct routes are less common for this particular journey.

How long is the flight from Detroit to San Francisco?

The median flight time for a direct flight from Detroit to San Francisco is typically 5 hours and 11 minutes. For flights with one stop, the median duration extends to approximately 8 hours and 30 minutes. The total distance covered on this route is 3339 kilometers.

Should I set a price alert for Detroit to San Francisco flights?

Historically, price fluctuations for flights from Detroit to San Francisco have been frequent. This suggests that setting a price alert could be beneficial for travelers seeking to secure a more favorable deal. Monitoring prices over time can help identify optimal booking opportunities for this route.

Flights From Detroit

To San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Browse current best options from Detroit. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

Detroit

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Francisco

Prices updated today

462 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 15, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Detroit to San Francisco

2026-10-23 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
73% AI deal score
$253
$217
Round trip
2026-10-14 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$251
$228
Round trip
2026-10-27 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$257
$232
Round trip
2026-10-24 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$254
$234
Round trip
2026-10-28 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$262
$234
Round trip
2026-10-31 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$265
$234
Round trip
2026-10-21 – 2026-11-11
DTT - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$252
$236
Round trip
2026-10-21 – 2026-11-07
DTT - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$255
$236
Round trip
2026-10-24 – 2026-11-07
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$262
$236
Round trip
2026-10-27 – 2026-11-07
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$265
$236
Round trip

Detroit to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Most itineraries for flights from Detroit to San Francisco connect at least once, with only 4.6% of recent fares being non-stop. For the majority of itineraries that include connections, the typical number of stopovers is 2.

Right now, for cheap flights from Detroit to San Francisco, fares are typically between $349–$771, with a median of $509. Currently, fares are above the typical level. Only 8% of recent fares were classified as a good price.

When considering the cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco, April stands out with a median fare of $229. Other affordable months include November, with a median fare of $273, and May, where the median fare is $275.

A typical journey from Detroit to San Francisco takes approximately 5h 11m, including connections. Given that most itineraries involve at least one stopover, this duration reflects the overall travel time for connecting flights, which typically average 11h 21m. Non-stop flights, when available, also have a median duration of 5h 11m.

The distance between Detroit and San Francisco is 3339 kilometers, classifying this as a medium-haul route. New deals for this route appear almost daily, offering frequent opportunities for travelers.

How much is a round trip from Detroit to San Francisco

Regular price: $203 - $523

Prices for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are currently within the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Detroit to San Francisco is $203 to $523. The current lowest deal is $203 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Nov 2-Nov 12.

now $203

Low $203

High $523

The cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Flights from Detroit to San Francisco are cheapest in November, with a median price of $273. The most expensive month to fly is February, with a median price of $1466. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

November

Cheapest

Flights from $273

February

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,466

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$308

$221

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$293

$223

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$251

$231

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$262

$231

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$254

$232

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$254

$233

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

4 nights

Dec 11 - Dec 15

$649 → $237

63%

5 nights

Dec 11 - Dec 16

$645 → $252

61%

4 nights

Dec 4 - Dec 8

$640 → $248

61%

6 nights

Dec 2 - Dec 8

$617 → $233

62%

Popular Airports to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Detroit - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Detroit to San Francisco are above the typical level, with 8% good prices.

📅 Best time to fly

April, November, and May offer the lowest median prices

Historically, April ($229), November ($273), and May ($275) have offered the lowest median prices.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco typically take 5h 11m, while connecting flights average 11h 21m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant for this route

Connecting flights make up the majority of options, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

United Airlines has offered direct flights on the Detroit to San Francisco route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals are frequent for this route

Deals for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are frequent, appearing often over 30 days.

Detroit main airports to depart from

Detroit Metropolitan (DTW)

Cheapest

Detroit Metropolitan offers flights to San Francisco, providing a convenient option for your journey.

📍 ~29 km from Detroit (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$217

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a major hub, convenient for reaching San Francisco and the Bay Area.

📍 ~18 km from San Francisco (reachable by car, public transport)

💸 Flights from ~$216

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a useful alternative with an extensive domestic network and direct BART rail connection.

📍 ~18 km from San Francisco (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$379

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from Detroit to San Francisco.

Elite

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

Exclusive daily First Class, Business Class, and Premium Economy flight deals, refreshed every 24 hours.

From DTW

Elite

Oct 16

San Francisco, United States

89% AI deal score

$2,048

$1,248

Save $800

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 15

San Francisco, United States

88% AI deal score

$1,986

$1,248

Save $738

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 15

San Francisco, United States

87% AI deal score

$1,898

$1,233

Save $665

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 09

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,616

$1,219

Save $397

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 16

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,641

$1,219

Save $422

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 28

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$2,440

$1,938

Save $502

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 28

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$2,433

$1,938

Save $495

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 28

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$2,440

$1,953

Save $487

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 16

San Francisco, United States

84% AI deal score

$1,586

$1,218

Save $368

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Oct 10

San Francisco, United States

84% AI deal score

$1,586

$1,229

Save $357

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 29

San Francisco, United States

84% AI deal score

$2,441

$1,985

Save $456

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 30

San Francisco, United States

84% AI deal score

$2,431

$2,002

Save $429

WestJet, +1

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Historically, the best time to book flights from Detroit to San Francisco for the cheapest prices is typically 14-27 days before departure. During this window, the average price for a flight was $257. Booking within 0-6 days of departure saw average prices rise to $339, while booking 7-13 days out resulted in average prices of $525. For bookings made 28-59 days in advance, the average price was $624, and for those made 60+ days out, it was $554.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Detroit to San Francisco was considered to be $349 or less. The median price for this route was $509. Prices typically ranged, with 25% of observed prices at or below $349, and 75% of observed prices at or below $771.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from Detroit to San Francisco include April, with a median price of $229, and November, with a median price of $273. May also offered competitive pricing with a median of $275. The annual median price for this route was $509, indicating that these months typically offer significant savings compared to the overall average.

Related routes

More routes from Detroit

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Flights to San Francisco from other cities

Flights from Dubai to San Francisco Flights from Dublin to San Francisco Flights from Eugene to San Francisco Flights from Fresno to San Francisco Flights from Glasgow to San Francisco Flights from Greenville to San Francisco Flights from Hong Kong to San Francisco Flights from Honolulu to San Francisco Flights from Houston to San Francisco Flights from Huntsville to San Francisco Flights from Hyderabad to San Francisco Flights from Indianapolis to San Francisco

Detroit to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Detroit to San Francisco

Regular price: $203 - $523

Prices for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are currently within the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Detroit to San Francisco is $203 to $523. The current lowest deal is $203 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Nov 2-Nov 12.

now $203

Low $203

High $523

The cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

November

Cheapest

Flights from $273

February

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,466

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$308

$221

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$293

$223

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$251

$231

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$262

$231

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$254

$232

One-way

Sat, Oct 10

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$254

$233

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

4 nights

Dec 11 - Dec 15

$649 → $237

63%

5 nights

Dec 11 - Dec 16

$645 → $252

61%

4 nights

Dec 4 - Dec 8

$640 → $248

61%

6 nights

Dec 2 - Dec 8

$617 → $233

62%

Popular Airports to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Detroit - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Detroit to San Francisco are above the typical level, with 8% good prices.

📅 Best time to fly

April, November, and May offer the lowest median prices

Historically, April ($229), November ($273), and May ($275) have offered the lowest median prices.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco typically take 5h 11m, while connecting flights average 11h 21m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant for this route

Connecting flights make up the majority of options, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

United Airlines has offered direct flights on the Detroit to San Francisco route.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals are frequent for this route

Deals for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are frequent, appearing often over 30 days.

Detroit main airports to depart from

Detroit Metropolitan (DTW)

Cheapest

Detroit Metropolitan offers flights to San Francisco, providing a convenient option for your journey.

📍 ~29 km from Detroit (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$217

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a major hub, convenient for reaching San Francisco and the Bay Area.

📍 ~18 km from San Francisco (reachable by car, public transport)

💸 Flights from ~$216

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a useful alternative with an extensive domestic network and direct BART rail connection.

San Francisco, United States

84% AI deal score

$2,431

$2,002

Save $429

WestJet, +1

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Today’s best flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco

Detroit to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Detroit to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Popular Airports to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Detroit - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

April, November, and May offer the lowest median prices

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Connecting flights are dominant for this route

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals are frequent for this route

Detroit main airports to depart from

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

Oct 16

Oct 15

Oct 15

Oct 09

Oct 16

Sep 28

Sep 28

Sep 28

Oct 16

Oct 10

Sep 29

Sep 30

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

How early should I book Detroit to San Francisco flights to get the cheapest price?

How much should a flight from Detroit to San Francisco cost?

What's the best month to fly from Detroit to San Francisco?

What percentage of Detroit to San Francisco flights are direct?

How long is the flight from Detroit to San Francisco?

Should I set a price alert for Detroit to San Francisco flights?

Related routes

More routes from Detroit

Flights to San Francisco from other cities

Detroit to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Detroit to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Detroit to San Francisco

Popular Airports to fly from Detroit to San Francisco

Detroit - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

April, November, and May offer the lowest median prices

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Connecting flights are dominant for this route

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals are frequent for this route

Detroit main airports to depart from

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Best Elite deals to San Francisco

Oct 16

Oct 15

Oct 15

Oct 09

Oct 16

Sep 28

Sep 28

Sep 28

Oct 16

Oct 10

Sep 29

Sep 30

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

How early should I book Detroit to San Francisco flights to get the cheapest price?

How much should a flight from Detroit to San Francisco cost?

What's the best month to fly from Detroit to San Francisco?