What percentage of Philadelphia to San Francisco flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, approximately 21.1% of flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco were direct. For flights that included a layover, the median number of stopovers was 2. This indicates that a significant portion of travelers on this route typically experience connecting flights.

Is it cheaper to fly direct or with a layover from Philadelphia to San Francisco?

Historically, flying direct from Philadelphia to San Francisco has been slightly more expensive, with a median price of $349. Flights with a layover, on the other hand, had a median price of $342. This represents a 2% premium for direct flights. Direct flights constituted about 20.5% of the total flights observed in the trailing 90 days.

Flights From Philadelphia

To San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Q: How long is the flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco?

A direct flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco typically takes 6 hours and 9 minutes, covering a distance of 4049 kilometers. For flights with one stop, the median duration extends to 9 hours and 13 minutes. This difference in travel time highlights the efficiency of direct routes compared to those with layovers.

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Prices updated 2 days ago

405 airlines compared

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Jul 26, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Philadelphia to San Francisco

2026-09-01 – 2026-09-18
PHL - San Francisco
76% AI deal score
$264
$232
Round trip
2026-08-24 – 2026-08-26
PHL - San Francisco
86% AI deal score
$351
$236
Round trip
2026-08-13 – 2026-08-27
PHL - San Francisco
77% AI deal score
$294
$237
Round trip
2026-08-20 – 2026-08-24
PHL - San Francisco
86% AI deal score
$352
$238
Round trip
2026-08-17 – 2026-08-26
PHL - San Francisco
83% AI deal score
$312
$238
Round trip
2026-08-18 – 2026-08-20
PHL - San Francisco
86% AI deal score
$357
$239
Round trip
2026-08-11 – 2026-08-18
PHL - San Francisco
85% AI deal score
$336
$239
Round trip
2026-08-11 – 2026-08-24
PHL - San Francisco
82% AI deal score
$297
$239
Round trip
2026-08-12 – 2026-08-25
PHL - San Francisco
77% AI deal score
$294
$239
Round trip
2026-08-20 – 2026-08-25
PHL - San Francisco
85% AI deal score
$343
$239
Round trip

Philadelphia to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

The journey from Philadelphia to San Francisco covers a distance of 4049 km, classifying it as a long-haul route. This means you can expect a significant travel time, often involving connections, to reach your destination on the West Coast.

For travelers seeking cheap flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco, fares typically range from $314–$587, with a median of $369. Right now, current fares are significantly above the typical level for this route. Only 7% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that finding a low fare may require careful planning. New deals appear almost daily, so setting up a price alert could be beneficial.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco? The data shows that April is typically the most affordable month, with a median fare of $285. Following closely, February offers a median fare of $304, and August also presents a more budget-friendly option with a median of $329.

Most itineraries for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco connect at least once, with only 21.1% of recent fares being non-stop. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of stopovers is 2.

How long is the flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco? A typical journey, including connections, takes approximately 6h 9m. While non-stop flights have a median duration of 6h 9m, connecting flights typically extend the travel time to 9h 48m.

How much is a round trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Regular price: $286 - $394

Prices for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco is typically between $286 and $394. The current lowest deal is $228 with Frontier Airlines, for travel from Aug 24-Aug 27.

now $228

Low $286

High $394

The cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

The cheapest month to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco is August, with a median price of $329. The most expensive month is January, with a median price of $901. Prices are generally lower from April to November.

August

Cheapest

Flights from $329

January

Most Expensive

Flights from $901

Jan

Feb

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$507

$369

One-way

Tue, Jul 28

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$503

$354

One-way

Thu, Aug 6

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$379

$264

One-way

Mon, Aug 10

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$375

$275

One-way

Tue, Aug 11

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$333

$239

One-way

Tue, Aug 11

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$294

$239

One-way

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

2 nights

Jul 28 - Jul 30

$503 → $354

30%

2 nights

Jul 27 - Jul 29

$507 → $369

27%

4 nights

Aug 13 - Aug 17

$364 → $240

34%

3 nights

Aug 24 - Aug 27

$349 → $228

35%

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are $228, below the typical level.

Recent fares from Philadelphia to San Francisco are below the typical level at $228.

📅 Best time to fly

Historically, April, February, and August offer the lowest median prices.

The cheapest months to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco are April, February, and August.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 6h 9m; connecting flights average 9h 48m.

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco take 6h 9m, while connecting flights take 9h 48m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant, with 21.1% direct share.

Most flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco include stopovers, with 21.1% being direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $228.

A recent deal on Frontier Airlines from Philadelphia to San Francisco was available for $228.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco are frequent.

Historically, deals for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco appear frequently.

Philadelphia main airports to depart from

Philadelphia International (PHL)

Cheapest

Philadelphia International Airport is a convenient option for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

📍 ~11 km from city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$232

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

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

📍 ~20 km from San Francisco (reachable by car, rail, and bus)

💸 Flights from ~$242

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a convenient alternative with extensive domestic options and direct BART rail connection.

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

💸 Flights from ~$242

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

91% AI deal score

$1,873

$1,169

Save $704

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Historically, the lowest average prices for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco have been found within 0-6 days of departure, with an average price of $334. Booking within 60+ days of departure also showed a relatively low average price of $372. Prices tend to increase for bookings made 7-13 days out, averaging $490, and peak at $572 for bookings made 28-59 days in advance. These trends are based on data from the trailing 90 days.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco was considered to be $314 or less. The median price for this route during the same period was $369. Prices typically ranged up to $587 for the higher end of the market. These figures represent pricing trends observed over a 90-day window.

Historically, April has been the best month to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco, with a median price of $285. February also offered competitive prices, with a median of $304. The annual median price for this route is $369, based on data from the trailing 270 days. While August had a median price of $329, it was also identified as the most expensive month on average.

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More routes from Philadelphia

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Flights to San Francisco from other cities

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Philadelphia to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Regular price: $286 - $394

Prices for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco is typically between $286 and $394. The current lowest deal is $228 with Frontier Airlines, for travel from Aug 24-Aug 27.

now $228

Low $286

High $394

The cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

August

Cheapest

Flights from $329

January

Most Expensive

Flights from $901

Jan

Feb

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

United Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Mon, Jul 27

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$507

$369

One-way

Tue, Jul 28

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$503

$354

One-way

Thu, Aug 6

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$379

$264

One-way

Mon, Aug 10

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$375

$275

One-way

Tue, Aug 11

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$333

$239

One-way

Tue, Aug 11

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$294

$239

One-way

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

2 nights

Jul 28 - Jul 30

$503 → $354

30%

2 nights

Jul 27 - Jul 29

$507 → $369

27%

4 nights

Aug 13 - Aug 17

$364 → $240

34%

3 nights

Aug 24 - Aug 27

$349 → $228

35%

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are $228, below the typical level.

Recent fares from Philadelphia to San Francisco are below the typical level at $228.

📅 Best time to fly

Historically, April, February, and August offer the lowest median prices.

The cheapest months to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco are April, February, and August.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights average 6h 9m; connecting flights average 9h 48m.

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco take 6h 9m, while connecting flights take 9h 48m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant, with 21.1% direct share.

Most flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco include stopovers, with 21.1% being direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $228.

A recent deal on Frontier Airlines from Philadelphia to San Francisco was available for $228.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco are frequent.

Historically, deals for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco appear frequently.

Philadelphia main airports to depart from

Philadelphia International (PHL)

Cheapest

Philadelphia International Airport is a convenient option for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

📍 ~11 km from city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$232

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

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

📍 ~20 km from San Francisco (reachable by car, rail, and bus)

💸 Flights from ~$242

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

Oakland International is a convenient alternative with extensive domestic options and direct BART rail connection.

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

💸 Flights from ~$242

San Francisco, United States

91% AI deal score

$1,873

$1,169

Save $704

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Today’s best flight deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Philadelphia to San Francisco

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

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are $228, below the typical level.

Historically, April, February, and August offer the lowest median prices.

Direct flights average 6h 9m; connecting flights average 9h 48m.

Connecting flights are dominant, with 21.1% direct share.

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $228.

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco are frequent.

Philadelphia 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

Nov 07

Nov 07

Jun 20

Jul 16

Jul 08

Jul 10

Jul 16

Jul 14

Jul 09

Jul 27

Oct 30

Aug 27

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

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

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

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

What percentage of Philadelphia to San Francisco flights are direct?

How long is the flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco?

Is it cheaper to fly direct or with a layover from Philadelphia to San Francisco?

Related routes

More routes from Philadelphia

Flights to San Francisco from other cities

Philadelphia to San Francisco: Overview

Insights for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

How much is a round trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco

The cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Last-minute flights going from Philadelphia to San Francisco

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

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

Recent fares are $228, below the typical level.

Historically, April, February, and August offer the lowest median prices.

Direct flights average 6h 9m; connecting flights average 9h 48m.

Connecting flights are dominant, with 21.1% direct share.

Frontier Airlines had a recent deal for $228.

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco are frequent.

Philadelphia 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

Nov 07

Nov 07

Jun 20

Jul 16

Jul 08

Jul 10

Jul 16

Jul 14

Jul 09

Jul 27

Oct 30

Aug 27

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Francisco

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

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

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