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 travelers opting for connecting flights, the median number of stopovers was 2. This indicates that a significant portion of routes on this journey typically involve at least one layover.

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 represents a substantial increase in travel time for routes involving a layover.

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

Historically, connecting flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco have been slightly cheaper, with a median price of $342. Direct flights, on the other hand, had a median price of $349, representing a 2% premium over connecting options. While direct flights made up about 20.5% of the routes, the price difference was relatively small across the trailing 90 days.

Flights From Philadelphia

To San Francisco

Cheap Flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco

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Deals from

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Prices updated 1 day ago

461 airlines compared

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 14, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Philadelphia to San Francisco

2026-11-09 – 2026-11-12
PHL - San Francisco
77% AI deal score
$270
$221
Round trip
2026-11-12 – 2026-11-15
PHL - San Francisco
76% AI deal score
$271
$233
Round trip
2026-11-02 – 2026-11-10
PHL - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$246
$237
Round trip
2026-11-11 – 2026-11-18
PHL - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$259
$237
Round trip
2026-11-03 – 2026-11-12
PHL - San Francisco
71% AI deal score
$244
$245
Round trip
2026-12-03 – 2026-12-10
PHL - San Francisco
76% AI deal score
$294
$247
Round trip
2026-10-21 – 2026-10-26
PHL - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$281
$255
Round trip
2026-10-03 – 2026-10-20
PHL - San Francisco
70% AI deal score
$239
$256
Round trip
2026-10-19 – 2026-10-20
PHL - San Francisco
74% AI deal score
$285
$257
Round trip
2026-11-10 – 2026-11-12
PHL - San Francisco
72% AI deal score
$269
$257
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 flight. This means you can expect a significant travel time, often involving connections to cover the considerable distance between the two cities.

For those seeking cheap flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco, fares typically range from $314–$587, with a median price 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 particularly low fare can be challenging.

When considering when is the cheapest time to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco, April stands out with a median fare of $285. February also offers more budget-friendly options, with a median fare of $304. Additionally, August presents a relatively good value, with a median fare of $329.

A typical journey from Philadelphia to San Francisco takes about 6h 9m, including connections. Given that only 21.1% of recent fares were for direct flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco, most itineraries will involve at least one stop. For connecting flights, the median number of stopovers is 2, which contributes to the overall travel duration.

Most itineraries on this route connect at least once, with only 21.1% of recent fares being non-stop. This means you are likely to have one or more layovers on your journey. When connecting, the typical number of stopovers is 2, which can extend the overall travel time.

How much is a round trip from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Regular price: $230 - $372

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 $230 to $372. The current lowest deal is $221 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Nov 9-Nov 12.

now $221

Low $230

High $372

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

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$534

$431

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$510

$435

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$517

$442

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$506

$467

One-way

Fri, Sep 18

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$510

$434

One-way

Sat, Sep 19

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$390

$369

One-way

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

2 nights

Nov 10 - Nov 12

$269 → $232

14%

15 nights

Oct 28 - Nov 12

$241 → $228

9 nights

Nov 3 - Nov 12

$243 → $230

15 nights

Nov 17 - Dec 2

$238 → $226

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Philadelphia to San Francisco are above the typical level at $221.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in April for the best prices

Historically, April is the cheapest month to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco, at $285.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights take 6h 9m

The typical direct flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco takes 6h 9m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are more common

Historically, 21.1% of flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco are direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

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

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco appear frequently, about every 30 days.

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 ~$237

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a good choice for reaching San Francisco and the Bay Area.

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

💸 Flights from ~$283

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

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

📍 ~18 km from destination city (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$287

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Francisco

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from Philadelphia 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 PHL

Elite

Dec 05

San Francisco, United States

91% AI deal score

$1,886

$1,219

Save $667

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 16

San Francisco, United States

91% AI deal score

$1,800

$1,219

Save $581

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 25

San Francisco, United States

91% AI deal score

$1,840

$1,219

Save $621

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Oct 09

San Francisco, United States

91% AI deal score

$1,850

$1,226

Save $624

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 07

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,707

$1,209

Save $498

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Oct 30

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,763

$1,209

Save $554

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 19

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,787

$1,209

Save $578

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Dec 09

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,681

$1,219

Save $462

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 10

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,757

$1,226

Save $531

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Oct 08

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,854

$1,259

Save $595

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Oct 01

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,849

$1,259

Save $590

United Airlines

Business Class

From PHL

Elite

Nov 24

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,840

$1,294

Save $546

United Airlines

Business Class

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 travel 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 typically $314 or less. The median price for this route was $369. Prices can go higher, with 75% of deals observed costing $587 or less. These figures provide a benchmark for what travelers have historically paid for this route.

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. While August had a median price of $329, it was also identified as the most expensive month. The annual median price for this route is $369, based on data from the trailing 270 days.

Related routes

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: $230 - $372

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 $230 to $372. The current lowest deal is $221 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Nov 9-Nov 12.

now $221

Low $230

High $372

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

Tue, Sep 15

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$534

$431

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$510

$435

One-way

Wed, Sep 16

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$517

$442

One-way

Thu, Sep 17

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$506

$467

One-way

Fri, Sep 18

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$510

$434

One-way

Sat, Sep 19

⌛ Last-Minute

PHL - San Francisco

Philadelphia (PHL) - San Francisco (SFO)

Frontier Airlines

$390

$369

One-way

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

2 nights

Nov 10 - Nov 12

$269 → $232

14%

15 nights

Oct 28 - Nov 12

$241 → $228

9 nights

Nov 3 - Nov 12

$243 → $230

15 nights

Nov 17 - Dec 2

$238 → $226

Popular Airports to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco

Philadelphia - San Francisco route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Philadelphia to San Francisco are above the typical level at $221.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in April for the best prices

Historically, April is the cheapest month to fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco, at $285.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights take 6h 9m

The typical direct flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco takes 6h 9m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are more common

Historically, 21.1% of flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco are direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines offers direct flights

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

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals from Philadelphia to San Francisco appear frequently, about every 30 days.

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 ~$237

San Francisco main airports to arrive at

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International Airport is a good choice for reaching San Francisco and the Bay Area.

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

💸 Flights from ~$283

Airports nearby San Francisco used as alternative

Oakland International (OAK)

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

San Francisco, United States

90% AI deal score

$1,840

$1,294

Save $546

United Airlines

Business Class

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 above the typical level

Fly in April for the best prices

Direct flights take 6h 9m

Connecting flights are more common

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals appear frequently

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

Dec 05

Nov 16

Nov 25

Oct 09

Nov 07

Oct 30

Nov 19

Dec 09

Nov 10

Oct 08

Oct 01

Nov 24

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 above the typical level

Fly in April for the best prices

Direct flights take 6h 9m

Connecting flights are more common

United Airlines offers direct flights

Deals appear frequently

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

Dec 05

Nov 16

Nov 25

Oct 09

Nov 07

Oct 30

Nov 19

Dec 09

Nov 10

Oct 08

Oct 01

Nov 24

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?