San Francisco

$139+ Cheap flights from Raleigh to San Francisco (RDU - 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 9/11. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
RDU — SFO
Aug 19 — Aug 261
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco are usually found in July or January, booked 57 days in advance, depart on a Thursday or Friday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Raleigh to San Francisco

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Raleigh (RDU) 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 August 14, 2025.

Round-trip from

$281
(Southwest)

One-way from

$139
(Priceline)

Popular in

March

Cheapest in

July

Average price

$389

Good round-trip deal

$394 or less

Good one-way deal

$353 or less
From Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco
One-way flight from Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 2% potential increase in price ($10 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($4 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Average for round-trip flights in August 2025
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco.
Price to beat on a one-way flight from Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco.

Find flight deals from Raleigh to San Francisco

Cheapest flights from Raleigh to San Francisco
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Raleigh to San Francisco. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on August 14, 2025.

This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/14. 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.
Fri 9/191:10 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop10h 00mSouthwest
Tue 9/239:05 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop9h 50mSouthwest
Deal found 8/14$281
This JetBlue deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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 JetBlue is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/171:47 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop13h 03mJetBlue
Wed 10/298:00 amSFO - RDU
1 stop11h 06mJetBlue
Deal found 8/12$283
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/14. 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 9/45:23 pmRDU - SFO
2 stops18h 13mMultiple Airlines
Thu 9/1811:57 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 49mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 8/14$284
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/13. 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.
Wed 9/35:00 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop8h 25mSouthwest
Fri 9/55:30 amSFO - RDU
2 stops12h 50mSouthwest
Deal found 8/13$286
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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 9/125:23 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop9h 53mFrontier
Sun 9/146:29 amSFO - RDU
1 stop8h 28mFrontier
Deal found 8/12$287
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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.
Sat 9/61:30 pmRDU - SFO
2 stops9h 55mSouthwest
Mon 9/1511:25 amSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 50mSouthwest
Deal found 8/12$288
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/14. 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.
Wed 9/35:00 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop8h 25mSouthwest
Sat 9/205:15 amSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 30mSouthwest
Deal found 8/14$289
This Trip.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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 Trip.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 9/41:47 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop13h 03mJetBlue
Sat 9/139:00 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop10h 32mJetBlue
Deal found 8/12$290
This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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 FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/136:15 amRDU - SFO
1 stop18h 08mFrontier
Fri 10/178:21 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop17h 43mFrontier
Deal found 8/12$291
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/14. 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 9/66:45 amRDU - SFO
2 stops18h 45mMultiple Airlines
Thu 9/1811:57 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 49mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 8/14$292
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/12. 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 9/1511:45 amRDU - SFO
1 stop14h 17mMultiple Airlines
Thu 9/185:45 amSFO - RDU
2 stops25h 18mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 8/12$293

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Raleigh 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 August 14, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Raleigh to San Francisco that are best for you.

Fly from

Raleigh

Fly to

San Francisco

Route

Depart

Return

Price

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Fri 9/19

1:10 pm-8:10 pm

1 stop10h 00m

San Francisco

Tue 9/23

9:05 pm-9:55 am

1 stop9h 50m

$281

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Wed 11/12

10:45 am-7:34 pm

1 stop11h 49m

San Francisco

Sat 11/15

9:10 pm-9:58 am

1 stop9h 48m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Sat 9/13

5:44 pm-12:59 am

1 stop10h 15m

San Francisco

Tue 9/16

9:00 pm-10:32 am

1 stop10h 32m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Sat 11/8

5:25 pm-11:59 pm

1 stop9h 34m

San Francisco

Sun 11/16

10:41 pm-10:08 am

1 stop8h 27m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Tue 10/14

5:45 pm-12:59 am

1 stop10h 14m

San Francisco

Sat 10/25

10:15 pm-11:47 am

1 stop10h 32m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Tue 11/11

7:00 am-2:01 pm

1 stop10h 01m

San Francisco

Sun 11/16

9:10 pm-9:58 am

1 stop9h 48m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Thu 9/11

5:44 pm-12:59 am

1 stop10h 15m

San Francisco

Sun 9/14

11:29 pm-10:32 am

1 stop8h 03m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Tue 10/14

5:45 pm-12:59 am

1 stop10h 14m

San Francisco

Wed 10/29

8:00 am-10:06 pm

1 stop11h 06m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Thu 9/11

5:44 pm-12:59 am

1 stop10h 15m

San Francisco

Mon 9/15

9:00 pm-10:32 am

1 stop10h 32m

$283

RaleighSan Francisco

RDU - SFO

RDUSFO

Raleigh-Durham

Tue 11/11

7:00 am-2:01 pm

1 stop10h 01m

San Francisco

Fri 11/14

8:50 pm-10:08 am

1 stop10h 18m

$283

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 8/12

Showing 1-10 of 23 results
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The best insider tips for Raleigh 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 Raleigh to San Francisco trip
Airports
RDU

RDU's efficient layout makes navigating its two terminals easy. Know your terminal in advance for a smooth departure experience.

Read more about RDUby John Walton
SFO

Use BART for an affordable 40-minute trip from SFO to downtown San Francisco. Purchase a Clipper Card for easy fare payment.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
Our travel experts
John Walton

John Walton

Expert on RDU

John Walton

John Walton

Independent aviation journalist John Walton took his first flight at eight weeks old and hasn’t stopped travelling since. A world-renowned expert in airlines and the passenger experience, he writes in depth on aviation, is a resident expert on travel in Japan and France, and offers a uniquely queer perspective on travelling the world.

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 Raleigh to San Francisco

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

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Raleigh to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on August 8, 2025.

Booking 57 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from Raleigh to San Francisco. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

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

Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Raleigh to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Raleigh to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $358). 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 RDU to SFO?

Find hourly flight availability from Raleigh 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 August 14, 2025.

A simple way to save on the total cost of your ticket is to fly from Raleigh to San Francisco at noon. If you’re flexible enough to do this you can expect to save up to 73% on your trip compared to booking a flight in the evening.

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

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from Raleigh to San Francisco. Price data was last updated on August 10, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Raleigh to San Francisco flight should consider departing on Tuesday at noon when fares are most often at their lowest. Saturday 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 August 14, 2025.
See what other customers who have flown with Southwest, Delta, and United Airlines from Raleigh to San Francisco have to say. You can also see how each airline compares in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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.

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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.

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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.

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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.

Crew

8.6

Food

7.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh to San Francisco?

    To fly from Raleigh to San Francisco, you need to book a flight from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to San Francisco (SFO). Nonstop flights to San Francisco from Raleigh-Durham take 5h 44m on average. When it comes time to book airfare, you have a few options: there are 6 outbound flights from Raleigh-Durham to San Francisco offered by 6 different airlines.

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

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

    Flying on JetBlue is currently your cheapest option to San Francisco, with prices starting at $131. Additional round-trip tickets that might be worth considering are offered by Frontier and American Airlines, with the lowest prices starting at $141 and $198, respectively. JetBlue is currently priced 67% below the average price you’ll pay for this route.

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

    Looking for the most reliable airlines to get you to your destination on time? Our data shows these are most likely to get you from Raleigh to San Francisco on time: United Airlines (88%), Virgin Australia (84%), Air New Zealand (84%).

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

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $273. While the most popular route (Raleigh-Durham - San Francisco) can be booked for $173 on average our data indicates $938 when flying from Raleigh to San Francisco.

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

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

    Most Charlotte visitors opt to spend their time experiencing Carowind, Mint Museum Uptown, and NASCAR Hall of Fame. Those on a layover in Charlotte interested in visiting Carowind, Mint Museum Uptown, or NASCAR Hall of Fame can do so by traveling 8.2 mi, 5.4 mi, and 5.7 mi, respectively from Charlotte Douglas. Those landing in Charlotte looking to spend some time exploring during their layover can rent a car for about $48 per day.

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

    Georgia Aquarium, Fox Theatre, and Tabernacle are currently the most popular points of interest in Atlanta at the moment. Georgia Aquarium, Fox Theatre, and Tabernacle can be accessed by traveling approximately 8.6 mi, 9.3 mi, and 8.3 mi, respectively from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. Those on a layover in Atlanta in need of a rental car can book one at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson for about $56.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Currently, January is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Raleigh to San Francisco (average of $276). Flying from Raleigh to San Francisco in June is currently the most expensive (average of $358). 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
Mountain View
Turlock
Santa Clara
Hollister
Antioch
Watsonville
Manteca
Sunnyvale
Newark
Milpitas
Campbell
Foster City
San Leandro
Burlingame
Redwood City
Vallejo

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Alternative routes for Raleigh to San Francisco

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

Top 6 airlines flying from Raleigh to San Francisco

Discover the top 6 airlines that operate flights from Raleigh 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 August 14, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
JetBlueCheapest$131Average$282FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
FrontierCheapest$141Average$241FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
American AirlinesCheapest$198Average$343FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
DeltaCheapest$256Average$317FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
United AirlinesCheapest$289Average$445FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$296Average$427FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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