$723 Find Cheap Flights from London to San Francisco – Compare and Save

The BART rail service links San Francisco airport with the city centre, running from 8am to midnight every day, with a frequency of every 20 mins. The BART also links the airport to the East Bay and San Mateo County. The SFO BART Station is located at the International Terminal in departures. To reach it from other terminals you can take the SFO AirTrain which links all terminals to each other. You can purchase a ticket at the BART station.

SamTrans buses link San Francisco airport to the city centre, Palo Alto and San Mateo County. Lines stopping at the airport are SFO, ECR, 292, 397 and 398. It’s a 24-hour bus service, and you can hop on outside of Arrivals at Terminal 2 and 3, outside of International Terminal Level 1 and Curbside.

There are nap rooms available inside San Francisco airport, in the international terminal which are open 24 hours. The rate is $40 USD (about 32 GBP) per hour or $120 USD (about 95 GBP) for 8 hours. Alternatively, there are 5 hotels all within 5 minutes from the airport, and all offering free airport shuttle service.

For a refreshing shower after a long flight from London to San Francisco, head to Freshen Up which is located in International Terminal level G. They are open 24 hours, and their rates start from $25 USD (about 20 GBP) for a Deluxe shower, which is a 30-minute shower and includes a towel, soap, shampoo, and other amenities on demand such as a hair dryer.

Among airlines operating London to San Francisco flights:

• Lufthansa: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• British Airways: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Virgin Atlantic: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Brussels Airlines: offers free seat selection

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

3 airlines operate flights between London and San Francisco. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• British Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

Flights from London to San Francisco may depart from several airports in London area, including London City (LCY), London Gatwick (LGW), London Heathrow (LHR), London Luton (LTN), London Southend (SEN) and London Stansted (STN). Flights usually arrive at San Francisco (SFO).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Lufthansa: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• British Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

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

Two cabin classes are available on flights from London to San Francisco:

• Economy class
• Business Class

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average $754 return via Orlando (MCO), compared with $1,056 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $72–$141 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

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

• Dublin (DUB) – 33% of one-stop connections
• Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) – 18% of one-stop connections
• Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH) – 15% of one-stop connections
• Seattle/Tacoma Intl (SEA) – 7% of one-stop connections

Dublin (DUB) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 11% on the London to San Francisco route. Thursday is the cheapest departure day at $985 return on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $1,105, a difference of $121. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

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 London to San Francisco route, 13% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 23 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on London to San Francisco flights, with 50% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 50%, Evening flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

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

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

• Earliest: departs at 10:05 and lands at 21:14
• Latest: departs at 16:15 and lands at 03:24.

The flight takes about 11h 09m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 13% above the route average of $1,046. Book 16 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from London to San Francisco takes 11h 09m, covering 13,878 km.

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.

One-way fares from London to San Francisco are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $730, which is 23% below the typical average for this route.

United Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while Virgin Atlantic has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on London to San Francisco flights are:

• United Airlines: 89% on time
• Virgin Atlantic: 88% on time
• British Airways: 85% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 87% of the time.

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.

Flying via Dublin (DUB) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 14h 07m, compared to 14h 21m via Denver Intl (DEN) and 14h 44m via Salt Lake City (SLC).

San Francisco is 8 hours behind London (Pacific Time vs British Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

San Francisco Airport (SFO) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around $21 for economy cars. Top options include:
• Thrifty
• Europcar
• Dollar
• Hertz
• Fox

Return flights from London to San Francisco range from $872 to $1,275, with an average of $1,046 over the past 12 months. Anything below $872 counts as a good deal.

KLM is the only airline on the London to San Francisco route offering in-flight Wi-Fi. Pricing depends on fare class.