Star Alliance member Scandinavian Airlines is offering flights from several Swedish and Norwegian airports to San Francisco. Prices go as low as €349 (~NOK 4,122) for roundtrips starting from Trondheim. The cheapest fare including checked bags is available at €436 (~NOK 5,149) on SAS’ website. All flights require a change of planes in Copenhagen both ways.
Since the cheapest tickets are SAS Go Light fares, not even Star Alliance or SAS EuroBonus Gold members can check a bag for free.
You can find flights for less than €400 with departure from:
- Trondheim at €343 (~NOK 4,051)
- Bergen at €350 (~NOK 4,134)
- Oslo at €368 (~NOK 4,346)
- Stockholm at €374 (~NOK 4,417)
- Gothenburg at €395 (~SEK 4,613)
Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight for less than €400 for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to SAS with your selected flight dates. You can also check what OTAs have to offer, as they sell these tickets up to €30 cheaper.
If you don’t mind spending a bit more, you can start your journey for less than €500 from Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt or Paris.
SAS uses Airbus A330-300 aircraft on the long-haul flights between Copenhagen and San Francisco. These feature the industry standard 2-4-2 seating in their economy class cabin. You can expect personal in-flight-entertainment in every seat back.
Search & Book
According to the fare rules, these tickets are on sale without an expiration date for travel between November 2023 and March 2024. You have to spend at least six days or one night from Saturday to Sunday in California to get the lowest fare. A blockout applies for departures two weeks before and after Christmas.
Google Flights helps you find additional flight dates. We recommend booking directly on SAS’ website, even though you can find cheaper tickets through our flight search.
Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?
More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:
Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.
If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.
This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.
Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.
This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.
Mileage
SAS issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class L. Star Alliance frequent flyers can earn the following miles and points:
- 6,018 Award Miles + 998 PQP on United MileagePlus
- 3,236 Award Miles + 50 Tier Points on Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- 3,008 Miles on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- 2,986 Award Miles + 160 Points on Miles&More
- 730 Extra Points + 680 Basic Points on SAS EuroBonus
You can earn more points on SAS EuroBonus if you select the fare including checked bags for €80 more roundtrip.
Destination
Hotel prices in San Francisco usually start at roughly €90-155, depending on the hotel category. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:
Information & Tips for San Francisco
The city on the Pacific coast in California captivates with unique buildings like the Golden Gate Bridge but also with the serenity, enlightenment and cultural diversity of the population.
Best Time to Visit
Temperatures in San Francisco are quite warm and moderate all year round. But in winter you have to expect to get more rain. The best months for traveling are April to October.
Top 3 Sights
Golden Gate Bridge: There are only a few buildings that say ‘USA’ as much as the bridge that connects with San Francisco to Sausalito. You can pass the bridge either by car, on foot or by bike. The latter is highly recommended because it is somewhat tricky to get on the bridge by foot. When planning your trip, you should always check the weather forecast, as the bridge is often covered in thick fog. This might be great for taking spectacular pictures of the bridge, but passing it could be rather disappointing due to the limited visibility.
Alcatraz Island: You can reach the legendary prison island, on which Al Capone was imprisoned, by ferry. You can book tickets on the official website. Attention: Other sites that also offer tickets are only re-sellers who charge excessive prices. It is worth to book the tickets in advance because especially during high season the ferry can be full due to the limited number of seats.
Fisherman’s Wharf: An excellent place to start your visit to San Francisco. This old part of town – once the Little Italy of San Francisco – is famous for its shops, restaurants and the beautiful atmosphere by the water. It’s a nice place to walk around and get a taste of the city. It’s also a starting point for tours with spectacular views of the city.
→ All Dealz for San Francisco
Information & Tips for USA
The USA offers many sights, natural wonders and cultural significance. Thanks to numerous airlines offering flights across the Atlantic, it is always pretty inexpensive to get there. Alternatively, you can also cross the Atlantic by boat.
Immigration, ESTA & Visa Requirements
The USA has one of the strictest entry regulations in the world. Most EU citizens, among others, are lucky to be able to participate in the so-called Visa Waiver Program. If you get an electronic entry permit (ESTA) for approximately €20, you don’t need a visa for entry.
The Best Time to Visit
Due to its sheer size, the perfect time to visit the USA varies greatly from region to region. In winter, Florida is very popular due to the mild temperatures. In the summer the West and East Coasts are flooded by tourists which drives up the prices for hotels and flights and during the Indian Summer in late autumn New England is a very popular destination. The hurricane season between July and September can be dangerous in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Florida and the southern states are regularly struck by these tropical storms. Blizzards occur from the East Coast to the Midwest during the winter months and regularly put air traffic and public life on hold.
Currency
The US dollar is widely used throughout the world and accepted as a currency in most tourist hotspots worldwide. That being said, carrying cash isn’t necessary in the US, all you need is a credit card! These are very common in the USA and are accepted pretty much everywhere without any issues. If you already have a credit card in your wallet, you should make sure that it does not charge a foreign currency fee if possible. Carrying a few dollars in cash doesn’t hurt though. You might need cash e.g. for the bus ticket if you want to buy it directly from the driver. Most of the time you even have to give exact change.
Finding the Best eSIM Plan
We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as Knowroaming and Ubigi. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:
The Best eSIM Plans for the USA 🇺🇸 Compared
→ All Dealz for USA