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$141+ Cheap flights from San Francisco to Raleigh (SFO - RDU)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 9/4. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — RDU
Aug 5 — Aug 121
Tue 8/5
Tue 8/12
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham are usually found in January or September, booked 86 days in advance, depart on a Wednesday or Tuesday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Raleigh

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Raleigh (RDU). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated July 31, 2025.

Round-trip from

$275
(Cheapflightsfares)

One-way from

$141
(Southwest)

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

January

Average price

$443

Good round-trip deal

$389 or less

Good one-way deal

$353 or less
From San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham
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One-way flight from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 4% potential increase in price ($20 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($8 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in July 2025
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham.
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham.
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Find flight deals from San Francisco to Raleigh

Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Raleigh
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Francisco to Raleigh. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on July 31, 2025.

This Cheapflightsfares deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/28. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Cheapflightsfares is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/226:26 amSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 05mFrontier
Sat 8/235:27 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop8h 06mFrontier
Deal found 7/28$275
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/31. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Southwest is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 9/411:25 amSFO - RDU
1 stop7h 50mSouthwest
Sun 9/75:35 amRDU - SFO
1 stop7h 10mSouthwest
Deal found 7/31$281
This Expedia deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/29. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Expedia is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/3011:40 amSFO - RDU
1 stop9h 19mJetBlue
Wed 9/31:47 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop10h 37mJetBlue
Deal found 7/29$282
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/29. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 9/49:00 amSFO - RDU
Nonstop5h 17mUnited Airlines
Mon 9/87:00 amRDU - SFO
Nonstop5h 45mUnited Airlines
Deal found 7/29$289
This Sun Country Air deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/29. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Sun Country Air is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 11/136:18 pmSFO - RDU
1 stop14h 14mSun Country Air
Sun 11/166:02 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop7h 53mSun Country Air
Deal found 7/29$295
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Alaska Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 9/96:00 amSFO - RDU
1 stop8h 10mAlaska Airlines
Tue 9/167:36 amRDU - SFO
1 stop9h 08mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 7/30$308
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/206:15 amSFO - RDU
1 stop8h 15mDelta
Mon 8/253:15 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop9h 14mDelta
Deal found 7/30$309
This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 8/35:45 amSFO - RDU
1 stop21h 50mMultiple Airlines
Fri 8/86:12 pmRDU - SFO
1 stop7h 41mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 7/30$362

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from San Francisco to Raleigh that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 31, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Raleigh that are best for you.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Raleigh

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Fri 8/22

6:26 am-4:31 pm

1 stop7h 05m

Raleigh-Durham

Sat 8/23

5:27 pm-10:33 pm

1 stop8h 06m

$275

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Thu 9/4

11:25 am-10:15 pm

1 stop7h 50m

Raleigh-Durham

Sun 9/7

5:35 am-9:45 am

1 stop7h 10m

$281

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Sat 8/30

11:40 am-11:59 pm

1 stop9h 19m

Raleigh-Durham

Wed 9/3

1:47 pm-9:24 pm

1 stop10h 37m

$282

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Thu 9/4

9:00 am-5:17 pm

Nonstop5h 17m

Raleigh-Durham

Mon 9/8

7:00 am-9:45 am

Nonstop5h 45m

$289

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Fri 8/15

11:59 pm-10:43 am

1 stop7h 44m

Raleigh-Durham

Fri 8/22

4:30 pm-10:51 pm

1 stop9h 21m

$295

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Tue 9/9

6:00 am-5:10 pm

1 stop8h 10m

Raleigh-Durham

Tue 9/16

7:36 am-1:44 pm

1 stop9h 08m

$308

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Wed 8/20

6:15 am-5:30 pm

1 stop8h 15m

Raleigh-Durham

Mon 8/25

3:15 pm-9:29 pm

1 stop9h 14m

$309

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Sun 8/3

5:45 am-6:35 am

1 stop21h 50m

Raleigh-Durham

Fri 8/8

6:12 pm-10:53 pm

1 stop7h 41m

$362

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Thu 9/4

11:25 am-10:15 pm

1 stop7h 50m

$141

San FranciscoRaleigh

SFO - RDU

SFORDU

San Francisco

Thu 8/21

6:26 am-4:37 pm

1 stop7h 11m

$143

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 7/31

Showing 1-10 of 17 results
1
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The best insider tips for San Francisco to Raleigh flights

Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of Cheapflights-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
Cheapflights partnered with top experts to bring you the best recommendations for your San Francisco to Raleigh trip
Airports
SFO

For a quick departure, use SFO's AirTrain Red Line to navigate between terminals efficiently and avoid long walks.

Read more about SFOby Harriet Baskas
RDU

For a smooth arrival at RDU, use the clearly marked ground pickup zones for shuttles, rental cars, and rideshares.

Read more about RDUby John Walton
Our travel experts
John Walton

John Walton

Expert on RDU

John Walton

John Walton

Independent aviation journalist John Walton took his first flight at eight weeks old and hasn’t stopped travelling since. A world-renowned expert in airlines and the passenger experience, he writes in depth on aviation, is a resident expert on travel in Japan and France, and offers a uniquely queer perspective on travelling the world.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on SFO

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Raleigh from San Francisco with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from San Francisco to Raleigh

How far ahead should I book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Raleigh. Price data was last updated on July 25, 2025.

Booking 86 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from San Francisco to Raleigh. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh?

Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh (average of $206). Flying from San Francisco to Raleigh in March is currently the most expensive (average of $293). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SFO to RDU?

Find hourly flight availability from San Francisco to Raleigh. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated July 31, 2025.

It’s typically best to fly out from San Francisco to Raleigh in the afternoon. Doing so could potentially save you 33% on the flight price compared to flying in the morning, which is usually more expensive.

What is the cheapest day to fly from San Francisco to Raleigh?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from San Francisco to Raleigh. Price data was last updated on July 27, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their San Francisco to Raleigh flight should consider departing on Thursday afternoons when fares are most often at their lowest. Monday mornings flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Raleigh

Explore weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Raleigh. Discover flights operating on different days of the week, giving you the flexibility to choose a travel day that best fits your plans. Compare info to find the most convenient option for your journey. Data last updated July 31, 2025.

The most flights from SFO to RDU are scheduled on a Thursday (9 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (2 on average).

Reviews of airlines servicing Raleigh

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Raleigh. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Raleigh. Reviews last updated July 31, 2025.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with Alaska Airlines, Southwest, and Delta from San Francisco to Raleigh by reading reviews from past customers. Users have also rated airlines in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,246 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,981 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,900 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
10,000 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Entertainment

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Francisco to Raleigh. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airports do I use to fly from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    Booking a flight from San Francisco (SFO) to Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is your only option if you wish to fly from San Francisco to Raleigh. On a typical day, there are 4 flights from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham, all of which are around 5h 04m for a nonstop flight. You can also purchase a plane ticket from 6 airlines when you book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh.

  • How popular is this San Francisco to Raleigh flight route?

    Within the past month, 9 users have taken a look at flights from San Francisco to Raleigh-Durham.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from San Francisco to Raleigh round-trip?

    Our cheapest airline available from San Francisco to Raleigh is Frontier. Our recent data shows that you can find tickets from as low as $275 on this airline. Additional options worth looking into are Southwest and JetBlue, starting at $281 and $282 round-trip. These flights start at 36% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from San Francisco to Raleigh one-way?

    For one-way options, check prices for Southwest. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $141. Users have also found prices from $143 and $148 on Frontier and Sun Country Air, respectively.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    Consider United Airlines (90%), Virgin Australia (89%) or Air New Zealand (89%) when booking your flight. These represent the most reliable airlines when flying from San Francisco to Raleigh.

  • What are the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    Looking for the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Raleigh? While on average our users pay $671, our data indicates the cheapest price to be $273. The most popular route (San Francisco - Raleigh-Durham), is priced around $281.

  • Where are the most common layover locations when flying from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    San Francisco to Raleigh flights have a layover in Atlanta most of the time. Charlotte sees the next most layovers on San Francisco to Raleigh flights.

  • What are some popular things to do or see while on a layover in Atlanta?

    Georgia Aquarium, Fox Theatre, and Tabernacle are currently the most popular points of interest in Atlanta at the moment. Travelers on a layover in Atlanta can visit Georgia Aquarium, Fox Theatre, and Tabernacle, by traveling 8.6 mi, 9.3 mi, and 8.3 mi, respectively after landing at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. Travelers can book a car rental at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson for about $57 per day to make their sightseeing more efficient.

  • What are some popular points of interest to see during a layover in Charlotte?

    Carowind, Mint Museum Uptown, and NASCAR Hall of Fame are the most popular attractions in Charlotte if you're in need of something to do during your layover. Carowind, Mint Museum Uptown and NASCAR Hall of Fame are located about 8.2 mi, 5.4 mi, and 5.7 mi, respectively from Charlotte Douglas if you are interested in checking them out. Those landing in Charlotte looking to spend some time exploring during their layover can rent a car for about $49 per day.

  • Where are the least popular layover locations for San Francisco to Raleigh flights?

    Of the flights from San Francisco to Raleigh that have layovers, the fewest flights stop in Dallas. Denver sees the next fewest layovers on San Francisco to Raleigh flights.

  • Can I find deals for flights from San Francisco to Raleigh that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on San Francisco to Raleigh flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from San Francisco to Raleigh.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Francisco to Raleigh by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh?

    Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Raleigh (average of $206). Flying from San Francisco to Raleigh in March is currently the most expensive (average of $293). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Raleigh?

Book flights to Raleigh if you plan to visit one of these locations
Dunn
Cary
Smithfield
Rocky Mount
Garner
Chapel Hill
Henderson
Goldsboro
Morrisville
Apex
Wilson
Danville
Wake Forest
Pinehurst
South Hill
Holly Springs
Oxford

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Top 6 airlines flying from San Francisco to Raleigh

Discover the top 6 airlines that operate flights from San Francisco to Raleigh. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 31, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
FrontierCheapest$127Average$233FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
American AirlinesCheapest$198Average$332FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
DeltaCheapest$256Average$340FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
Alaska AirlinesCheapest$286Average$599FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%
United AirlinesCheapest$289Average$508FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$308Average$452FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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