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 have been direct. For flights that include stopovers, the median number of stops is typically two. Travelers should consider these factors when planning their journey.

How long is the flight from Detroit to San Francisco?

The typical direct flight from Detroit to San Francisco covers a distance of 3339 kilometers and has a median duration of 5 hours and 11 minutes. Flights with one stopover generally take longer, with a median duration of 8 hours and 30 minutes. Travelers should account for these differences in flight time when making their travel plans.

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

Historically, deals for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are classified as frequent. This suggests that setting a price alert could be beneficial for travelers looking to secure a favorable fare. Over the trailing 30 days, this route has consistently shown a regular availability of deals.

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 6 days ago

406 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Aug 2, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Detroit to San Francisco

2026-09-11 – 2026-09-14
DTT - San Francisco
80% AI deal score
$285
$218
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-14
DTT - San Francisco
75% AI deal score
$281
$220
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-30
DTT - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$235
$221
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-29
DTT - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$244
$221
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-15
DTT - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$272
$221
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-18
DTT - San Francisco
73% AI deal score
$257
$221
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-16
DTT - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$272
$221
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-21
DTT - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$270
$224
Round trip
2026-09-09 – 2026-09-22
DTT - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$244
$224
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-22
DTT - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$270
$224
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 connecting itineraries, the typical number of connections is 2. This means you will most often find yourself on a multi-leg journey when flying this route.

If you are looking for cheap flights from Detroit to San Francisco, right now fares are above the typical level. Prices for this route typically range from $349–$771, with a median of $509. Only 8% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that finding a low fare can be challenging.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Detroit to San Francisco? The most affordable month to fly is typically April, with a median fare of $229. Other inexpensive options include November, where the median fare is $273, and May, with a median fare of $275. Planning your trip during these months could help you secure a better price.

A typical journey from Detroit to San Francisco takes about 5h 11m, including connections. This duration accounts for the fact that most flights on this route involve at least one stopover. The median flight time for connecting itineraries is 11h 21m, while direct flights, when available, take approximately 5h 11m.

The distance between Detroit and San Francisco is 3339 kilometers. This classifies the route as a medium-haul flight, meaning it is a significant distance that typically involves several hours in the air.

How much is a round trip from Detroit to San Francisco

Regular price: $225 - $408

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 between $225 and $408. The current lowest deal is $225 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Sep 14-Sep 21.

now $225

Low $225

High $408

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

Deutsche Luft Hansa

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$730

$390

One-way

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$725

$391

One-way

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$746

$419

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$725

$390

One-way

Tue, Aug 4

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$720

$375

One-way

Wed, Aug 5

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$628

$355

One-way

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

4 nights

Dec 7 - Dec 11

$781 → $322

59%

4 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 7

$777 → $322

59%

7 nights

Dec 23 - Dec 30

$787 → $378

52%

4 nights

Dec 1 - Dec 5

$765 → $366

52%

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 at $509.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in April for the best prices

Historically, April, November, and May offer the best prices, with a median of $229 in April.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 5h 11m

The median flight time for direct flights is 5h 11m, connecting flights average 11h 21m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Only 4.6% of recent flights are direct, with connecting flights typically having 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $225 from Detroit to San Francisco.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals are frequent on 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 is a convenient option for flights from Detroit to San Francisco.

📍 ~29 km from Detroit (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$225

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a major gateway to the San Francisco Bay Area.

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

💸 Flights from ~$225

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Cheapest

Oakland International is a close alternative to San Francisco city center with extensive domestic options.

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

💸 Flights from ~$236

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

Aug 28

San Francisco, United States

89% AI deal score

$1,997

$1,189

Save $808

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 20

San Francisco, United States

88% AI deal score

$2,043

$1,219

Save $824

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 20

San Francisco, United States

88% AI deal score

$1,996

$1,219

Save $777

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 21

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$1,628

$1,179

Save $449

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 21

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$1,650

$1,179

Save $471

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 01

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$2,425

$1,813

Save $612

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 01

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$2,391

$1,815

Save $576

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 01

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$2,464

$1,849

Save $615

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 01

San Francisco, United States

86% AI deal score

$2,466

$1,855

Save $611

WestJet, +1

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 27

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,558

$1,169

Save $389

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Sep 25

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,629

$1,179

Save $450

United Airlines

Business Class

From DTW

Elite

Aug 30

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,577

$1,179

Save $398

United Airlines

Business Class

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Historically, the lowest prices for flights from Detroit to San Francisco are found when booking 14-27 days in advance. During this period, the average price is around $257. Booking within 0-6 days of departure typically sees prices rise to an average of $339. For bookings made 28-59 days out, the average price increases to $624, while those made 60+ days in advance average around $554.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Detroit to San Francisco is considered to be $349 or less. The median price for this route has historically been around $509. Prices can range, with 75% of deals observed at $771 or less over the trailing 90 days.

Historically, April has been the cheapest month to fly from Detroit to San Francisco, with a median price of $229. November and May also offer competitive prices, with median fares of $273 and $275 respectively. The annual median price for this route is typically around $509, indicating significant savings are possible by choosing to fly in these months.

Related routes

More routes from Detroit

Flights from Detroit to Auckland Flights from Detroit to Salt Lake City Flights from Detroit to St. Paul Flights from Detroit to Tampa Flights from Detroit to Thiruvananthapuram Flights from Detroit to Tokyo Flights from Detroit to Toronto Flights from Detroit to Tulsa Flights from Detroit to Vancouver Flights from Detroit to Vienna Flights from Detroit to Washington, D.C.Flights from Detroit to Zürich

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: $225 - $408

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 between $225 and $408. The current lowest deal is $225 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Sep 14-Sep 21.

now $225

Low $225

High $408

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

Deutsche Luft Hansa

Last-minute flights going from Detroit to San Francisco

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$730

$390

One-way

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$725

$391

One-way

Sun, Aug 2

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$746

$419

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$725

$390

One-way

Tue, Aug 4

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$720

$375

One-way

Wed, Aug 5

⌛ Last-Minute

DTW - San Francisco

Detroit (DTW) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$628

$355

One-way

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

4 nights

Dec 7 - Dec 11

$781 → $322

59%

4 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 7

$777 → $322

59%

7 nights

Dec 23 - Dec 30

$787 → $378

52%

4 nights

Dec 1 - Dec 5

$765 → $366

52%

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 at $509.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in April for the best prices

Historically, April, November, and May offer the best prices, with a median of $229 in April.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 5h 11m

The median flight time for direct flights is 5h 11m, connecting flights average 11h 21m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Only 4.6% of recent flights are direct, with connecting flights typically having 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $225 from Detroit to San Francisco.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals are frequent on 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 is a convenient option for flights from Detroit to San Francisco.

📍 ~29 km from Detroit (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$225

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a major gateway to the San Francisco Bay Area.

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

💸 Flights from ~$225

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Cheapest

Oakland International is a close alternative to San Francisco city center with extensive domestic options.

San Francisco, United States

85% AI deal score

$1,577

$1,179

Save $398

United Airlines

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

Fly in April for the best prices

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Connecting flights are dominant

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal

Deals are frequent on 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

Aug 28

Aug 20

Aug 20

Aug 21

Aug 21

Sep 01

Sep 01

Sep 01

Sep 01

Aug 27

Sep 25

Aug 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

Fly in April for the best prices

Direct flights average 5h 11m

Connecting flights are dominant

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal

Deals are frequent on 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

Aug 28

Aug 20

Aug 20

Aug 21

Aug 21

Sep 01

Sep 01

Sep 01

Sep 01

Aug 27

Sep 25

Aug 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?