San Francisco

$124+ Cheap flights from Indianapolis to San Francisco (IND - 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 10/30. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
IND — SFO
Oct 17 — Oct 241
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Indianapolis to San Francisco are usually found in February or January, booked 87 days in advance, depart on a Friday or Thursday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Indianapolis to San Francisco

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Indianapolis (IND) 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

$272
(United Airlines)

One-way from

$124
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

March

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$360

Good round-trip deal

$384 or less

Good one-way deal

$278 or less
From Indianapolis to San Francisco
One-way flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco
High demand for flights, 3% potential price rise
Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($6 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Average for round-trip flights in September 2025
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco.
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco.

Find flight deals from Indianapolis to San Francisco

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

This United Airlines 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/156:51 pmIND - SFO
1 stop7h 06mUnited Airlines
Wed 10/229:48 amSFO - IND
Nonstop4h 25mUnited Airlines
Deal found 9/16$273
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.
Sun 11/96:55 amIND - SFO
1 stop8h 20mMultiple Airlines
Sun 11/910:23 pmSFO - IND
1 stop9h 59mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/16$274
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.
Thu 9/258:54 pmIND - SFO
1 stop6h 22mFrontier
Sun 9/286:29 amSFO - IND
1 stop10h 35mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$275
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.
Fri 10/37:44 pmIND - SFO
2 stops20h 31mFrontier
Sun 10/511:00 pmSFO - IND
1 stop9h 11mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$276
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. 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.
Wed 10/15:45 amIND - SFO
2 stops18h 36mMultiple Airlines
Sun 10/511:00 pmSFO - IND
1 stop9h 11mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/17$277
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. 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 Alaska Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 12/317:09 amIND - SFO
1 stop9h 45mAlaska Airlines
Fri 1/27:00 amSFO - IND
1 stop8h 19mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 9/17$278
This Delta 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 Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 11/44:48 pmIND - SFO
1 stop7h 18mDelta
Wed 11/126:00 amSFO - IND
1 stop6h 28mDelta
Deal found 9/16$279
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.
Sun 9/288:54 pmIND - SFO
1 stop19h 23mMultiple Airlines
Thu 10/95:45 amSFO - IND
1 stop10h 12mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 9/15$280
This Southwest 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 Southwest is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 10/232:10 pmIND - SFO
2 stops11h 25mSouthwest
Tue 10/288:00 amSFO - IND
2 stops11h 30mSouthwest
Deal found 9/15$281
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.
Thu 10/98:51 pmIND - SFO
1 stop6h 23mFrontier
Mon 10/136:34 amSFO - IND
1 stop9h 50mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$282
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. 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.
Thu 10/165:55 pmIND - SFO
1 stop8h 28mAmerican Airlines
Tue 10/216:00 amSFO - IND
1 stop8h 00mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 9/17$283
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.
Sat 11/89:36 pmIND - SFO
2 stops17h 39mFrontier
Thu 11/1310:23 pmSFO - IND
1 stop9h 59mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$285

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis to San Francisco that are best for you.

Fly from

Indianapolis

Fly to

San Francisco

Route

Depart

Return

Price

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 10/30

6:45 am-12:10 pm

1 stop8h 25m

San Francisco

Sun 11/2

10:54 pm-6:14 am

Nonstop4h 20m

$275

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Wed 12/31

7:09 am-1:54 pm

1 stop9h 45m

San Francisco

Mon 1/5

5:42 pm-5:49 am

1 stop9h 07m

$278

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 11/6

7:00 am-12:31 pm

1 stop8h 31m

San Francisco

Sat 11/8

12:45 am-12:02 pm

1 stop8h 17m

$288

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 1/8

7:05 am-11:15 am

1 stop7h 10m

San Francisco

Wed 1/14

6:05 am-11:09 pm

2 stops14h 04m

$294

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Sat 12/20

9:15 pm-12:30 am

1 stop6h 15m

San Francisco

Sat 1/10

9:30 pm-10:30 am

1 stop10h 00m

$305

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 10/2

9:00 am-1:35 pm

1 stop7h 35m

San Francisco

Sat 10/4

12:43 am-10:57 am

1 stop7h 14m

$339

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Sun 10/26

6:30 am-10:33 am

1 stop7h 03m

San Francisco

Thu 10/30

1:26 pm-11:00 pm

1 stop6h 34m

$339

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 2/26

9:05 am-2:07 pm

1 stop8h 02m

San Francisco

Sat 2/28

12:43 am-10:48 am

1 stop7h 05m

$341

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Thu 10/16

6:00 am-7:50 am

Nonstop4h 50m

San Francisco

Mon 10/20

11:20 pm-6:46 am

Nonstop4h 26m

$359

IndianapolisSan Francisco

IND - SFO

INDSFO

Indianapolis

Mon 1/5

7:15 am-9:25 am

Nonstop5h 10m

San Francisco

Thu 1/15

4:41 pm-11:59 pm

Nonstop4h 18m

$359

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 9/16

Showing 1-10 of 21 results
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The best insider tips for Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis to San Francisco trip
Airports
IND

IND's security lines are efficient, with an average wait time of less than 3 minutes. Check wait times online before heading to the airport.

Read more about INDby Barbara Noe Kennedy
SFO

Use BART for an affordable 40-minute trip from SFO to downtown San Francisco. Access it via the free AirTrain to the Garage G/Bart station.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
Our travel experts
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
Barbara Noe Kennedy

Barbara Noe Kennedy

Expert on IND

Barbara Noe Kennedy

Barbara Noe Kennedy

Award-winning travel journalist Barbara Noe Kennedy writes about destinations around the world—but her heart is in her home state of Virginia, where she’s always researching her next travel story.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Francisco from Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis to San Francisco

How far ahead should I book a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

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

The best time to book flights from Indianapolis to San Francisco is 87 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Indianapolis 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 IND to SFO?

Find hourly flight availability from Indianapolis 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.

A simple way to save on the total cost of your ticket is to fly from Indianapolis to San Francisco in the morning. If you’re flexible enough to do this you can expect to save up to 50% on your trip compared to booking a flight at noon.

What is the cheapest day to fly from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

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

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Indianapolis to San Francisco flight should consider departing on Friday afternoons when fares are most often at their lowest. Sunday at noon 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.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with Southwest, Delta, and United Airlines from Indianapolis to San Francisco by reading reviews from past customers. Users have also rated airlines in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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.

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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.
8.0
Very good

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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.

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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.

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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.

Entertainment

7.5

Food

7.0

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

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 Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis to San Francisco?

    San Francisco is the airport most travelers will use when flying to San Francisco from Indianapolis. Booking flights from Indianapolis (IND) to San Francisco (SFO) should be relatively easy as there are 3 daily flights to San Francisco from 6 different airlines. 4h 45m is how long a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco will take if you book a nonstop flight.

  • How popular is this Indianapolis to San Francisco flight route?

  • How long is the flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

    Airlines like United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Delta fly from Indianapolis to San Francisco in about 8h 22m. The time it takes to get you to your destination can typically vary by up to 1h 23m. The distance between Indianapolis and San Francisco is about 1937 mi. This flight may include one or multiple stops.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Indianapolis to San Francisco round-trip?

    Currently priced at $107, Frontier will fly you from Indianapolis to San Francisco and back. In addition to Frontier, many other airlines offer competitively priced options for your trip. Search Cheapflights for deals from Sun Country Air and Delta - these airlines can fly you to your destination from $192 and $236, respectively. You may be able to fly from Indianapolis to San Francisco for 71% less than the average price by searching for these airlines.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Indianapolis to San Francisco one-way?

    One-way options have recently been found by users for as low as $129 on Delta. Other airlines that offer cheap prices include Frontier from $133 and United Airlines from $134 one-way.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

    The top 3 most reliable airlines when flying from Indianapolis to San Francisco are Virgin Australia (80%), Air New Zealand (80%) and United Airlines (77%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

    Looking for the cheapest flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco? While on average our users pay $732, our data indicates the cheapest price to be $145. The most popular route (Indianapolis - San Francisco), is priced around $183.

  • Where are the most common layover locations when flying from Indianapolis to San Francisco?

  • What are some popular things to do or see while on a layover in Denver?

    The majority of Denver visitors spend their time at Coors Field, 16th Street Mall, and Paramount Theatre. Those on a layover in Denver interested in visiting Coors Field, 16th Street Mall, or Paramount Theatre can do so by traveling 18.4 mi, 18.7 mi, and 18.6 mi, respectively from Denver Intl. Those looking to explore during their layover in Denver can rent a car from Denver Intl for about $56 per day.

  • What are some popular points of interest to see during a layover in Minneapolis?

    Minneapolis Armory, Orpheum Theatre, and State Theatre are currently the most popular points of interest in Minneapolis at the moment. Minneapolis Armory, Orpheum Theatre, and State Theatre can be visited by traveling about 7.0 mi, 7.3 mi, and 7.3 mi respectively from Minneapolis St Paul. Those on a layover in Minneapolis in need of a rental car can book one at Minneapolis St Paul for about $57.

  • Where are the least popular layover locations for Indianapolis to San Francisco flights?

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis to San Francisco?

    Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Indianapolis to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Indianapolis 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

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Alternative routes for Indianapolis to San Francisco

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.

Top 6 airlines flying from Indianapolis to San Francisco

Discover the top 6 airlines that operate flights from Indianapolis 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
FrontierCheapest$107Average$233FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
Sun Country AirCheapest$192Average$375FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time83%
DeltaCheapest$236Average$292FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$236Average$345FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$269Average$418FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$288Average$437FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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