548€ Find Cheap Flights from Zurich to San Francisco – Compare and Save

Among airlines operating Zurich to San Francisco flights:

• United Airlines: offers free seat selection

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

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

• SWISS
• United Airlines

Flights from Zurich to San Francisco usually depart from Zurich (ZRH) and arrive at San Francisco (SFO).

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

• SWISS: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Air Canada: 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.

Three cabin classes are available on flights from Zurich to San Francisco:

• Economy class
• Premium Economy Class
• Business Class

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average 522 € return via Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH), compared with 778 € for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge 49 €–86 € for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 777-300ER family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by SWISS and United Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 777 variants.

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

• Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – 49% of one-stop connections
• London Heathrow (LHR) – 20% of one-stop connections
• Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH) – 12% of one-stop connections
• Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) – 5% of one-stop connections

Frankfurt am Main (FRA) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 7% on the Zurich to San Francisco route. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at 743 € return on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at 796 €, a difference of 53 €. 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 Zurich to San Francisco route, 22% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 7 minutes.

Afternoon is the busiest departure period on Zurich to San Francisco flights, with 100% leaving in that window. Morning departures account for 0%, Evening flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

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

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

• Earliest: departs at 13:10 and lands at 1:16
• Latest: departs at 13:35 and lands at 1:41.

The flight takes about 12h 06m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 5% above the route average of 761 €. Book 11 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from Zurich to San Francisco takes 12h 06m, covering 15.079 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 Zurich to San Francisco are currently higher than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about 1.167 €, which is 75% above the typical average for this route.

Afternoon 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 Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 13h 52m, compared to 14h 38m via Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and 14h 43m via Munich Franz Josef Strauss (MUC).

San Francisco is 9 hours behind Zurich (Pacific Time vs Central European 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 13 € for economy cars. Top options include:
• Thrifty
• Europcar
• Dollar
• Hertz
• Fox

Return flights from Zurich to San Francisco range from 648 € to 873 €, with an average of 761 € over the past 12 months. Anything below 648 € counts as a good deal.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on Zurich to San Francisco flights:

• • SWISS
• • United Airlines