Travelling from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR): what you need to know
A direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport takes 2 hours 21 minutes (on average). Vancouver's timezone is UTC-7 — the same as San Francisco.
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport start from 06:20 — the first with Air Canada. The last flight of the day is the 21:40 option with Air Canada. In total, there are 85 weekly services from SFO to YVR.
Be prepared for longer queues in popular months such as August and other peak seasons. Arriving up to four hours in advance for international flights and two hours for a domestic departure is a wise move.
A variety of airlines offer direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport, so getting to Vancouver (and then visiting more of Canada!) is easy. Popular carriers that fly between SFO and YVR include:
We make it a breeze to book a flight with a stopover. To see all the options for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport, deselect 'Direct flights only.' Then, pick a flight offering a stop long enough to explore your chosen city. Popular stopovers between SFO and YVR include:
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Sacramento International Airport
Portland International Airport
To find out if you need a visa to enter Canada, check with your carrier and the local embassy or consulate. They'll give you the latest information, including other paperwork you may need after booking your cheap ticket from SFO to YVR.
How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
The lowest price we've found for a one-way ticket from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport is $36. For a return flight on this route, the best price is $123. Depending on the availability when you book, these fares can change.
Book 9 months before your departure date. After crunching the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to secure cheap flight tickets from SFO to YVR.
Organise your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for tickets from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport. If your travel dates are flexible, try out the 'Whole month' tool to see the lowest price across each month.
Snapping up a cheap ticket from SFO to YVR is a breeze with Price Alerts. All you need to do is set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you when the price has dropped.
Tailor your trip with filters. Pick your preferred arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort your results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport.
Handy information about San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
The journey from central San Francisco to San Francisco International Airport takes approximately 47 minutes by public transport. If you ride-share, drive or grab a cab, you'll cover the 21 kilometres in 20 minutes or so, depending on traffic conditions.
Want a convenient hotel near SFO? If you've booked an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport, these accommodation options will have you sleeping moments from your check-in counter:
Arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Book a hotel close to YVR if you're on a late flight from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport. Select one of these options and skip the long transfer:
Getting from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to central Vancouver
From Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver is approximately 14 kilometres away. It takes around 26 minutes to reach the centre driving.
It typically takes 33 minutes to get there using public transport.
When to fly to Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
August is the busiest month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport. To steer clear of the crowds, visit Vancouver in May.
Lock in your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Vancouver International Airport for August if you'd like to go to Vancouver during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures of between 13ºC and 24ºC.
For cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from SFO to YVR in December. Average temperatures are between -1ºC and 7ºC then.
More about Vancouver
If you're looking for somewhere to lay your head, you can find the best stays in Vancouver right here. Explore these options as soon as you've booked your flight from SFO to YVR:
Every great holiday has to include some sightseeing. Stanley Park, Granville Island and Science World are among the things you can't miss in Vancouver.
If you want more choice when planning your journey, consider flying into or out of Vancouver Harbour Sea Plane Base (CXH). This international airport is another popular option for getting to and from Vancouver.
Complete your Vancouver trip with hotels and a car rental
Once you've secured your cheap ticket to Vancouver International Airport, discover the lowest prices and exclusive offers on hotels. You can also compare a range of car rental companies in one go to get the best car rental price for your Vancouver trip.