HomeSearch by dateVacation packagesHotelsFlight dealsCar rentalTravel tips & news
San Francisco

$132+ Cheap flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco (DTW - SFO)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 10/21. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DTW — SFO
Oct 17 — Oct 241
Fri 10/17
Fri 10/24
1 adult, Economy
We work with more than 300 partners to bring you better travel deals

Find cheap flights from Detroit to San Francisco with Cheapflights

1. Tell us where you want to go

Enter your travel information like dates, passengers, trip type (one-way or round trip), and preferred cabin class then click “Find deals”

2. Select your favorite providers

We find the providers serving your travel needs. Choose up to four travel providers to compare side-by-side for flights, hotels, or car rentals.

3. Compare prices and book

Review each provider’s pricing and select the best option for you! Book through your favorite provider’s website for a seamless experience.

Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco are usually found in July or June, booked 90 days in advance, depart on a Friday or Thursday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Detroit (DTW) to San Francisco (SFO). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated September 17, 2025.

Round-trip from

$298
(Frontier)

One-way from

$132
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

January

Cheapest in

July

Average price

$424

Good round-trip deal

$389 or less

Good one-way deal

$273 or less
From Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco
Search Deals
One-way flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 20% potential increase in price ($131 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($20 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in September 2025
Search Deals
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco.
Search Deals
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco.
Search Deals

Find flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco

Cheapest flights from Detroit to San Francisco
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Detroit to San Francisco. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on September 17, 2025.

This Frontier deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Frontier is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 10/266:00 amDTW - SFO
1 stop11h 22mFrontier
Wed 10/299:55 pmSFO - DTW
1 stop12h 03mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$298
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/175:45 pmDTW - SFO
Nonstop5h 14mUnited Airlines
Tue 10/215:15 amSFO - DTW
1 stop7h 18mUnited Airlines
Deal found 9/15$299
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/296:10 amDTW - SFO
2 stops15h 09mFrontier
Thu 10/26:29 amSFO - DTW
2 stops24h 30mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$300
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/226:10 amDTW - SFO
1 stop21h 06mFrontier
Sat 9/2711:00 pmSFO - DTW
1 stop7h 59mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$301
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/227:20 amDTW - SFO
2 stops18h 42mMultiple Airlines
Sun 9/286:29 amSFO - DTW
1 stop15h 17mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/15$302
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 9/238:00 amDTW - SFO
1 stop17h 30mFrontier
Sat 9/276:00 amSFO - DTW
2 stops14h 58mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$303
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 9/256:10 amDTW - SFO
1 stop10h 07mMultiple Airlines
Tue 9/308:00 amSFO - DTW
1 stop8h 05mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/16$305
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/246:00 amDTW - SFO
2 stops21h 19mFrontier
Thu 10/3010:11 pmSFO - DTW
2 stops15h 08mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$306
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/63:42 pmDTW - SFO
2 stops32h 40mFrontier
Thu 10/95:45 amSFO - DTW
2 stops31h 18mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$307
This Frontier deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Frontier is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/226:10 amDTW - SFO
1 stop10h 07mFrontier
Fri 10/108:21 pmSFO - DTW
2 stops20h 12mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$308
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/175:42 pmDTW - SFO
1 stop8h 41mAmerican Airlines
Mon 10/2012:50 amSFO - DTW
1 stop6h 54mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 9/15$309

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Detroit to San Francisco that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated September 17, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco that are best for you.

Fly from

Detroit

Fly to

San Francisco

Route

Depart

Return

Price

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Sat 11/8

5:35 pm-8:00 pm

Nonstop5h 25m

San Francisco

Tue 11/11

5:00 am-2:58 pm

1 stop6h 58m

$299

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Sat 10/18

5:45 pm-7:59 pm

Nonstop5h 14m

San Francisco

Mon 10/20

5:15 am-3:33 pm

1 stop7h 18m

$299

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Wed 10/22

5:45 pm-7:59 pm

Nonstop5h 14m

San Francisco

Sun 10/26

5:10 am-3:28 pm

1 stop7h 18m

$299

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Sat 11/22

3:25 pm-7:45 pm

1 stop7h 20m

San Francisco

Thu 11/27

6:15 am-3:35 pm

1 stop6h 20m

$313

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Wed 12/3

7:05 am-9:30 am

Nonstop5h 25m

San Francisco

Sun 12/7

11:44 pm-9:47 am

1 stop7h 03m

$313

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Mon 11/24

2:45 pm-6:15 pm

1 stop6h 30m

San Francisco

Mon 12/1

9:25 pm-12:25 pm

1 stop12h 00m

$318

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 10/17

5:45 pm-7:59 pm

Nonstop5h 14m

San Francisco

Tue 10/21

8:55 am-4:40 pm

Nonstop4h 45m

$320

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Tue 11/4

8:25 pm-10:35 pm

Nonstop5h 10m

San Francisco

Mon 11/10

10:45 pm-6:12 am

Nonstop4h 27m

$328

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 10/17

5:45 pm-7:59 pm

Nonstop5h 14m

San Francisco

Sun 10/19

8:55 am-4:40 pm

Nonstop4h 45m

$343

DetroitSan Francisco

DTW - SFO

DTWSFO

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Thu 10/23

5:45 pm-7:59 pm

Nonstop5h 14m

San Francisco

Mon 10/27

5:10 am-3:28 pm

1 stop7h 18m

$353

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 9/17

Showing 1-10 of 21 results
1
2
3

The best insider tips for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco flights

Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of Cheapflights-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
Cheapflights partnered with top experts to bring you the best recommendations for your Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco trip
Airports
DTW

At DTW, security lines are typically short, with waits under 10 minutes at McNamara Terminal.

Read more about DTWby Brandon Schultz
SFO

For a budget-friendly arrival, take BART from SFO to downtown San Francisco in about 40 minutes.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
Our travel experts
Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz

Expert on DTW

Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz is an award-winning food and travel writer based in New York City. His work has appeared in Forbes, AAA, Thrillist, Travel + Leisure, and The Daily Meal, among many others, and he is the author of 6 books, including 3 cookbooks.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on SFO

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from Detroit to San Francisco

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Francisco from Detroit with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco

How far ahead should I book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Detroit to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on September 12, 2025.

The price you pay for your flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco may vary depending on when you book. For the best chance of a lower fare, look to book 79 days in advance of your trip. Fares are likely to increase a fortnight or so before your departure date.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $357). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from DTW to SFO?

Find hourly flight availability from Detroit to San Francisco. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated September 17, 2025.

When flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco, the time of day you fly usually plays a role in the price. Save by searching for a flight in the afternoon, which can drop the price by up to 10% versus a flight in the morning.

What is the cheapest day to fly from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from Detroit to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on September 14, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco flight should consider departing on Wednesday afternoons when fares are most often at their lowest. Monday evenings flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Reviews of airlines servicing San Francisco

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San Francisco. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to San Francisco. Reviews last updated September 17, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco, such as Southwest, Delta, and United Airlines. Reviews also offer insight into each airline's entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,961 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,926 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
10,000 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Frontier
5.8
Fair
3,173 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Detroit to San Francisco. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airports do I use to fly from Detroit to San Francisco?

    If you book a flight from Detroit to San Francisco, you will be flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco. Flights to San Francisco (SFO) from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) take 4h 58m for a nonstop flight. There are 11 flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Francisco per day from 8 airlines.

  • How long is the flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

    A quick flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco can take about 5h 25m. United Airlines provides one of the quickest options available for as low as $299. The distance between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and San Francisco is about 2072 mi. When browsing for deals, the options you’ll see will be for both nonstop flights and flights with stops.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco round-trip?

    According to our current data, Spirit Airlines ($101), Sun Country Air ($128), and Frontier ($130) offers the cheapest pricing from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco. These flights start at 80% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

    No one likes to see their flight delayed. When booking a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco consider choosing Korean Air (81%), KLM (81%) or Air France (80%) as they are the most reliable in getting you off to your destination on time.

  • What are the cheapest flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

    Looking for the cheapest flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco? While on average our users pay $571, our data indicates the cheapest price to be $158. The most popular route (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County - San Francisco), is priced around $206.

  • Can I find deals for flights from Detroit to San Francisco that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on Detroit to San Francisco flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from Detroit to San Francisco.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Detroit to San Francisco?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Detroit to San Francisco by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco?

    Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $357). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near San Francisco?

Book flights to San Francisco if you plan to visit one of these locations
Roseville
Santa Cruz
Livermore
South San Francisco
Turlock
Antioch
Watsonville
Santa Clara
Manteca
Sunnyvale
Hollister
Vacaville
Foster City
Union City
Vallejo
Burlingame
Redwood City
San Mateo
San Leandro
Lathrop

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.

Alternative routes for Detroit to San Francisco

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
Detroit to Los Angeles flights
Detroit to Las Vegas flights
Detroit to Santa Ana flights
Detroit to San Diego flights
Detroit to Ontario flights
Detroit to Burbank flights
Detroit to Sacramento flights
Detroit to San Jose flights
Detroit to Oakland flights
Detroit to Palm Springs flights
Detroit to Medford flights
Detroit to Reno flights
Detroit to Long Beach flights
Detroit to Santa Barbara flights
Detroit to Fresno flights
Detroit to San Luis Obispo flights
Detroit to Monterey flights
Detroit to Bakersfield flights
Detroit to Arcata flights
Detroit to Santa Rosa flights
Detroit to Merced flights
Detroit to Tijuana flights
Detroit to Redding flights
Detroit to Yuma flights
Detroit to Mammoth Lakes flights

Top 8 airlines flying from Detroit to San Francisco

Discover the top 8 airlines that operate flights from Detroit to San Francisco. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated September 17, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Spirit AirlinesCheapest$101Average$284FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time65%
Sun Country AirCheapest$128Average$310FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time83%
FrontierCheapest$130Average$240FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
JetBlueCheapest$267Average$298FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
United AirlinesCheapest$289Average$547FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
DeltaCheapest$289Average$572FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
SouthwestCheapest$308Average$536FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%
American AirlinesCheapest$308Average$408FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%

100% Free

Cheapflights is completely free to use, so you can start saving the moment you arrive.

Book with Flexibility

Our users can plan ahead with confidence and find flights with no change fees

Travel Smart

Millions of people come to us for their flight needs every year. We help make travel planning easy by providing useful insights and data-driven graphs that can inform your decisions.