2
Airlines
12×
Per week
₱25k
From (est.)
12.5h
Nonstop
🇺🇸
SFO · North America
- Country
- United States
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Currency
- USD
- Visa for PH
- Visa required (apply via embassy/VFS)
- OFW relevance
- Low — mostly tourism / balikbayan
When are fares cheapest?
Click a month → live Aviasales fares for the 15th
Compare carriers on this route
Philippine Airlines
PR
- Frequency
- 12× / week
- Baggage
- 23kg +10
- OFW program
- ✓
United Airlines
UA
- Frequency
- 12× / week
- Baggage
- 23kg
- OFW program
- —
Manila to San Francisco Flights — Schedule, Carriers, Best Time | 2026
Manila to San Francisco Flights — 2026
Manila (MNL) to San Francisco (SFO) is one of the top three balikbayan corridors, flown nonstop by Philippine Airlines and United with around 12 weekly departures and a 12.5-hour block. Off-peak roundtrip economy fares sit between PHP 58,000-88,000, surging during Pasko reunion season. The Bay Area’s Fil-Am community — Daly City, San Bruno, Vallejo — keeps demand laging busy.
Route at a glance
- Distance & duration: ~12.5 hours nonstop, MNL to SFO.
- Carriers nonstop: Philippine Airlines (PR), United (UA).
- Frequency: ~12 weekly departures (PAL ~5x, UA daily).
- Travel profile: Balikbayan-dominant, Bay Area family visits.
Search live fares with Aviasales →
Best time to book
Cheapest pockets are mid-January through March at September through early November, when fares dip to PHP 55,000-72,000 roundtrip. Avoid the Dec 1-Jan 8 Pasko balikbayan rush at the June-August summer family-visit window, kasi the entire Bay Area Fil-Am community books home flights then. Chinese New Year (late Jan/early Feb) is also tight on connecting tags via TPE or HKG. For tipid pricing, book 4-6 months ahead po. Tuesday and Wednesday departures shave PHP 3,500-6,500 off Saturday banks. UA’s NRT-tag option opens up cheaper inventory mid-week.
Carriers compared
| Feature | Philippine Airlines (PR) | United (UA) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical economy roundtrip | PHP 62,000-92,000 | PHP 58,000-85,000 |
| Base baggage economy | 2 x 23 kg | 2 x 23 kg |
| Frequency ex-MNL | ~5 weekly | ~7 weekly (sometimes via GUM) |
| Balikbayan-friendly | High — Tagalog crew, balikbayan box-friendly | Mid — Star Alliance perks |
| In-flight | Free meals, Tagalog entertainment | Free meals, English-only |
Fare bracket (peso-first)
- Low (Feb-Mar, Sep-early Nov): PHP 55,000-72,000 (USD 980-1,285).
- Mid (May, late Nov): PHP 75,000-100,000 (USD 1,340-1,785).
- Peak (Dec 1-Jan 8, Jun-Aug summer): PHP 115,000-155,000 (USD 2,055-2,770).
Balikbayan-specific notes
Kabayan, Bay Area family reunions cluster around Pasko at June graduations — pre-book by August or April. PAL’s 2x23 kg economy allowance fits one balikbayan box plus a maleta; Premium Economy bumps to 2x32 kg, perfect kapag may bagong appliance from Tatay. SFO has BART direct sa downtown (~PHP 525 / USD 9.40, 30 min) — mas tipid kaysa Uber, especially during weekday traffic. Pasalubong tip: dried mangoes, polvoron, at chocolate are usually fine through US customs; iwasan ang fresh fruit, ube halaya, at meat. Many Fil-Am families also use Daly City’s Filipino markets for sentimentals — no need to overload your luggage.
FAQ
Magkano ang ticket Manila to SFO? Roughly PHP 58,000-88,000 (USD 1,035-1,570) roundtrip economy off-peak; Pasko peak hits PHP 115,000-155,000.
Sino ang fly nonstop sa SFO? PAL (5x weekly) at United (daily). PAL is the Fil-Am workhorse para sa Bay Area.
Bay Area ba may direct ride sa airport? Yes — BART trains connect SFO sa downtown SF in 30 minutes (~PHP 525 / USD 9.40).
Kailan pinaka-mura? February-March at September-October. Iwasan ang Pasko (Dec-Jan) at summer (Jun-Aug).
Related guides on this site
- Balikbayan flights from the Philippines →
- Flights to United States →
- Philippine Airlines carrier guide →
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) →
Updated 9 May 2026. Maria Santos is a pseudonymous editorial persona; content is researched and edited by Filipino travel and OFW specialists. About the author →.