$36 Cheap Flights from San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN)

View $36 flight on Thu, Nov 20, 2025Opens in a new window

Popular airlines from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)

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Today's featured flight deals from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)

Nonstop
Carry-on included
Lower price than typical

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to San Diego (SFO-SAN)

Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $36 for one-way flights and $72 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

Frontier Airlines
Mon, Nov 17 - Thu, Nov 20
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$72 Roundtrip, found 1 hour ago
$72
Roundtrip
found 1 hour ago
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Mon, Nov 17 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Thu, Nov 20, priced at $72 found 1 hour ago
Frontier Airlines
Sat, Sep 20 - Mon, Oct 6
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$73 Roundtrip, found 1 day ago
$73
Roundtrip
found 1 day ago
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Sat, Sep 20 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Mon, Oct 6, priced at $73 found 1 day ago
Frontier Airlines
Sun, Oct 12 - Sat, Oct 18
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$74 Roundtrip, just found
$74
Roundtrip
just found
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Sun, Oct 12 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Sat, Oct 18, priced at $74 just found
Frontier Airlines
Fri, Dec 5 - Mon, Dec 8
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$75 Roundtrip, just found
$75
Roundtrip
just found
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Fri, Dec 5 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Mon, Dec 8, priced at $75 just found
Southwest Airlines
Mon, Nov 17 - Thu, Nov 20
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$76 Roundtrip, found 1 hour ago
$76
Roundtrip
found 1 hour ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Mon, Nov 17 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Thu, Nov 20, priced at $76 found 1 hour ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Oct 14 - Mon, Oct 20
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$77 Roundtrip, just found
$77
Roundtrip
just found
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Oct 14 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Mon, Oct 20, priced at $77 just found
Frontier Airlines
Sat, Oct 4 - Mon, Oct 6
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$78 Roundtrip, just found
$78
Roundtrip
just found
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Sat, Oct 4 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Mon, Oct 6, priced at $78 just found
Alaska Airlines
Thu, Dec 11 - Sun, Dec 21
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$88 Roundtrip, found 3 hours ago
$88
Roundtrip
found 3 hours ago
Select Alaska Airlines flight, departing Thu, Dec 11 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Sun, Dec 21, priced at $88 found 3 hours ago
United
Tue, Nov 11 - Thu, Nov 20
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$92 Roundtrip, found 6 hours ago
$92
Roundtrip
found 6 hours ago
Select United flight, departing Tue, Nov 11 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Thu, Nov 20, priced at $92 found 6 hours ago
American Airlines
Wed, Oct 8 - Wed, Oct 22
SFO
San Francisco
SAN
San Diego
$159 Roundtrip, just found
$159
Roundtrip
just found
Select American Airlines flight, departing Wed, Oct 8 from San Francisco to San Diego, returning Wed, Oct 22, priced at $159 just found

Find the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN)

February is typically the cheapest month to fly

From $48 - $197 per traveler.

Alternative airports near San Diego

Prices were available within the past 7 days. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Select flight to General Abelardo L. Rodriguez Intl. TIJ. Average driving time to city center is 26 minutes. Flights from $368
TIJ
General Abelardo L. Rodriguez Intl.
Average driving time to city center26 min
Flights from $368
Select flight to McClellan-Palomar CLD. Cheapest option available. Average driving time to city center is 38 minutes. Flights from $247
CLD
McClellan-Palomar
Cheapest
Average driving time to city center38 min
Flights from $247
Flights from San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego (SAN)
Origin airport
San Francisco Intl.
Destination airport
San Diego Intl.
Airlines serving
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United
Roundtrip price
$66
Distance
446 mi
Average flight time
1 hour 35 mins

San Francisco to San Diego Flights

The cheapest times to fly from San Francisco to San Diego

On average, Thursday can be the cheapest time to fly, according to data from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), one of the world's biggest databases for global airline sales. The data reveals that you could save up to 16% by flying on a Thursday—the cheapest day to travel on average—instead of a Sunday—the most expensive. Some of the most affordable flights from San Francisco to San Diego are during the month of November. You can find some of the cheapest flights from San Francisco to San Diego with Expedia's search tool and vast selection of airlines.

 

The best time to book a flight from San Francisco to San Diego

Sunday is one of the best days to book for cheap flights from San Francisco to San Diego: Tickets reserved on a Sunday cost between 6% and 13% less than those reserved on a Friday, according to ARC data. The data also suggests booking early can also lead to cheaper airfares. You could save 24% by buying your tickets for domestic flights at least a month in advance and 10% by booking international flights 2 months in advance.

 

How to find cheap round-trip tickets from San Francisco to San Diego

Being flexible with your dates and using Expedia's Price Drop Protection and Price Tracking features are some of the best ways of finding a cheap ticket from San Francisco to San Diego in 2025. You can also book with separate airlines for your outbound and return journeys, from $36 one-way. Expedia also offers Price Drop Protection, so if the cost of your airfare goes down after booking, you'll receive a credit for the difference*. This is available for a small fee, and is free to One Key Gold and Platinum tier members.

 

Expedia's Price Tracking feature means you can stay on top of airfares without manually checking every day. It sends you automated price alerts for cheap San Francisco to San Diego flights and uses historical data to indicate when the best time to book is. Download Expedia's free app to activate this handy tool in a few easy taps.

 

You could also save big by booking one of Expedia's vacation packages. Bundling together your San Francisco to San Diego airfare with your accommodations and car rental is often cheaper than booking everything separately. There’s also One Key, Expedia's generous rewards program. Join for free and you could earn One Key cash on most bookings to save on future adventures.

 

*Terms apply.

 

Disclaimer: ARC The statistics are based on average round-trip ticket prices between January and August 2023. The percentages you see are averages.

 

Frequently asked questions

How much does a flight from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) cost?
Get a cheap one-way flight from $36 or cheap return flight from $72 from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) with Expedia. Enter your travel dates and sort by "Price (lowest to highest)" to find our cheapest flight offers on this route.
What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
November is the most affordable month to fly from SFO to SAN. Avoiding peak travel times is often the key to scoring lower fares.
Which airlines fly direct from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
Skip the stopovers and travel straight to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) with 4 carriers, including:

  • Alaska Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • Southwest Airlines

What is the cheapest airline that flies from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
The cheapest airline to offer flights between San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) and San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) will change depending on when you plan to fly. Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines are just some well-known options offering reasonable prices. Use Expedia's filter tool to compare airlines in one place and find the right SFO to SAN flight for your budget.
How many flights per day from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
When taking off from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO), you'll have your pick from an average of 17 daily direct flights to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN).
What are the most popular departure times for flights from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
Flights between SFO and SAN are busiest at 8 AM. For a more relaxed trip and potentially cheaper fares, choose a time outside the usual busy windows.
What day of the week has the most flights from SFO to SAN?
If you travel on a Sunday, you'll get the widest range of options for flights from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN).
What is the earliest flight from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
Catch the earliest flight at around 6:00AM UTC-8, departing from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO). You'll be in the air for about 1h 36m, coming in to land at San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) at approximately 7:36AM UTC-8.
How long does it take to fly from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
The average flight time from SFO to SAN is 1 hour and 36 minutes, covering a distance of 450 mi.
What airline has the least delays from SFO to SAN?
Consider booking with American Airlines if you'd like to go straight from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) without any delays. This airline has the best track record for punctuality, with an on-time performance of 100%. Want real-time updates? You can keep an eye on your flight status using the Expedia App.
What is the best time to fly from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
Opt for a flight from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) that takes off before 3 PM to reduce the likelihood of delays and cancellations. Departures later than this are on average 22% more likely to be canceled.**Most reliable time of the day and month to travel recommendation is based on January through August 2024 flight status data sourced from OAG's global flight data platform.
What airports do you fly into for San Diego from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO)?
Browse your flight options from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN). This is the only San Diego airport you can arrive at if you're taking a direct flight.
Is it cheaper to buy a plane ticket from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN) last-minute?
Last-minute fares from SFO to SAN are generally more expensive. To lock in the best rates, start looking for flights as early as possible. That said, if you're flexible with your travel dates, it's possible to find a cheap fare right before your journey.
Is it cheaper to book a SFO to SAN flight and hotel package?
You can save money by booking a SFO to SAN flight and hotel package compared to booking separately. In fact, you could save hundreds of dollars by bundling with Expedia. And it's easy to manage it all in one place. Once you've selected your ideal flights and accommodations, consider other add-ons like tours, activities and car rentals.
Can I cancel or change the date of my flight from San Francisco Intl. Airport (SFO) to San Diego Intl. Airport (SAN)?
You can usually cancel or reschedule your SFO to SAN flight. However, if it's been more than 24 hours since booking, additional fees may apply. Refer to your airline's policies in your itinerary to see what changes are possible and whether any costs are involved. You'll also find more details on our Customer Service portal.

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*Available to One Key members.