Travelling from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO): What you need to know
When organising your flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), there's a good range of airports you can jet off from. Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) and Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF) are Toronto's major terminals.
Around 5 hours 40 minutes is the usual time it takes for a direct Toronto to San Francisco International Airport flight.
The timezone in San Francisco is UTC-7, which is three hours behind Toronto. San Francisco International Airport is located in San Francisco.
Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the most popular route. There are 49 direct weekly flights to choose from. If you prefer a later start to the day, hop on the last flight with Air Canada at 7:20pm. Choose the first YYZ to SFO departure with United Airlines at 6:30am if you're aiming for an earlier start.
Arriving two hours before an international flight and one hour ahead of a domestic departure are travel rules worth sticking to. Get to the airport on time to catch your flight from Toronto to SFO.
Delays at security and check-in are likely if you're jetting off during high season, so allow some extra breathing space. The recommendation for peak periods? Get there up to four hours early for international flights and two hours for domestic departures.
Airports in Toronto
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
You can take a direct flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) out of Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
Well-known carriers that offer direct flights from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport out of YYZ include:
Air Canada is the airline with the highest number of bookings for flights from YYZ to SFO.
Air Canada is the best performing carrier for punctuality on this route.
The journey from central Toronto to YYZ takes around 50 minutes on public transport. If you drive, ride-share or get a cab, you'll cover the 27 kilometres in 25 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
Booked an early flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport? Avoid the mad dash to the terminal (and enjoy a little extra shut-eye) by staying at one of these hotels near Pearson International Airport:
63.97% of flights that depart Pearson International Airport make it to their destination on schedule.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
YTZ is around 3 kilometres from central Toronto. It'll take 35 minutes or so to get to the airport driving from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 40 minutes.
Start your holiday early with an additional night away from home. Before your Toronto to SFO flight, stay in one of these hotels close to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport:
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has an on-time performance of 62.09%. This figure shows how frequently flights that take off from this airport reach their destination on schedule.
Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF)
From the centre of Toronto, YKF is around 105 kilometres away. It'll take you roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to arrive by car and 4 hours 5 minutes or so if you take public transport.
Skip the rush on your departure day — stay near Region of Waterloo International Airport and know you'll get to your boarding gate with time to spare. Check in to one of these hotels the day before if you have an early Toronto to San Francisco International Airport flight:
Flights that depart from YKF arrive at their final stop within the scheduled time frame 63.64% of the time.
About San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport. Make yourself comfy at one of these accommodation options near SFO instead:
Hit the road running by picking up a San Francisco International Airport rental car. Grab your wheels from Dollar, Thrifty or Hertz and experience the lesser-explored corners of San Francisco and beyond.
To get the lowest price, book your ride around one week ahead of your Toronto to San Francisco International Airport flight.
Getting from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to central San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport is about 18 kilometres from central San Francisco. How long it takes to get there by car hire or cab will depend on the time of day. Do some research before your trip.
It takes roughly 45 minutes if you're using public transport.
How to find the cheapest flights from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
The lowest price we've found for a one-way ticket from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport is 121 €. For a return flight on this route, the best price is 208 €. Depending on the availability and when you book, these fares may change.
Book one month before you want to travel. Pricing trends suggest that this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from Toronto to SFO.
Plan your trip for June. That's the best month for scoring an awesome deal on Toronto to San Francisco International Airport tickets. If you have flexibility with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across every month.
You don't need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll notify you when there's a better deal on plane tickets from Toronto to SFO.
Find the best deal on a flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport with the help of the filters. Pick your ideal departure and arrival times, airlines and number of stops. You can also sort your results by 'Best,' 'Fastest' or 'Cheapest.'
The best time to fly from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
August is the most popular month for flights from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Plan your visit to San Francisco in February for a more low-key escape.
Before locking in your Toronto to SFO plane ticket, consider what kind of weather you prefer. September is the warmest month in San Francisco, with temperatures ranging from 12ºC (54ºF) to 22ºC (72ºF).
Look for cheap tickets from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport in January if you'd rather travel when it's cooler. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 6ºC (43ºF) and 16ºC (61ºF).
More about San Francisco
Start your San Francisco trip off on the right foot by choosing the ideal place to stay. After booking your flight from Toronto to San Francisco International Airport, explore our range of hotels including:
All great adventures should include some sightseeing. Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies - Alamo Square and Alcatraz Island are attractions you won't want to skip in San Francisco.
Explore more of the United States
Fresno is just one of the many places in the United States waiting to be discovered after you've seen San Francisco. Around 257 kilometres away to the east, well-known attractions include Forestiere Underground Gardens, Shinzen Japanese Garden and Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
If you want to check out another side of the United States, consider Sacramento, about 129 kilometres north-east of San Francisco. Old Sacramento Waterfront, Fright Planet - America's Haunted Theme Park and California State Railroad Museum are key reasons to visit.