Best Price
Air India
22 Sep, Tue
San Francisco – Chennai
1d 1h 15m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Search Flights from San Francisco to Chennai
Quick Flight Summary from San Francisco to Chennai
Key numbers to know before you book
- Lowest recent price $533
- Direct flight duration 22 hour 5 min
- Arrival airports MAA
- Best days to book Tuesday, Sunday
- Average over the last 30 days $527
Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Chennai
Air India
20 Sep, Sun
San Francisco – Chennai
1d 1h 15m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Air India
18 Sep, Fri
San Francisco – Chennai
1d 1h 15m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Air India
19 Sep, Sat
San Francisco – Chennai
1d 1h 15m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Shortest Flight
Cathay Pacific
23 Oct, Fri
San Francisco – Chennai
22h 5m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Cathay Pacific
30 Sep, Wed
San Francisco – Chennai
22h 5m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Cathay Pacific
1 Oct, Thu
San Francisco – Chennai
22h 5m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Qatar Airways
28 Sep, Mon
San Francisco – Chennai
22h 25m
1 stop
SFO–MAA
Last update: 10 September 2026 00:10
Estimated Prices for San Francisco to Chennai Flights
Cheapest Day30 September Wednesday
Best Price
$524
Average Price
$526
$528
$524
Key Features of the Airlines
- Budget Turkish Flights
- Domestic Focus
- Turkish Airlines Partner
- Best LCC Middle East
- Flexible Rebooking
- Wide Domestic Network
- Turkey's LCC Leader
- Digital-First Airline
- Wide Turkish Network
- Star Alliance Member
- Complimentary Meals
- 2x23kg Baggage
- Lowest Fares
- Hajj & Umrah Specialist
- Easy Mobile Booking
Information compiled by AI. For the most up-to-date information, contact the airline.
Transportation to Airport from San Francisco City Center
San Francisco Intl. Airport
Located 21 km from the city center, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a major transit center for passengers, particularly those traveling from Asia. San Francisco International is the second busiest airport in California, following Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Every year SFO handles a significant number of both domestic and international flights. There are a variety of transportation alternatives passengers can utilize to get to and from the airport.
San Francisco International Airport stands out for the comfortable and exceptional services it offers. The airport features services aimed at meeting your every need, from comfortable passenger lounges, to restaurants that offer a wide variety of cuisines and a vibrant array of stores where you can go shopping.
San Francisco International Airport is accessible by taxi, bus, train, rental car, and personal car as the airport contains parking lots that offer short-term and long-term parking options.
Train
There are two rail systems that you can use to get to San Francisco International Airport from the city center. The first is the rapid-rail system, the BART. The BART starts running in the early hours of the morning, providing easy and fast transportation between SFO and the northern and southern parts of the city.
The other rail system that you can use to get to SFO is the CalTrain. This train departs on the hour, every hour, every day of the week, until 10 pm. This train provides transportation between San Francisco and San Jose and SFO.
Taxi
One of the most convenient and fastest transportation alternatives to get to SFO from the city center is by taxi. Taxi fares are calculated based on the kilometers traveled. A taxi from downtown San Francisco can cost between 42 and 62 dollars and takes about 20 minutes. For more information on taxi companies and their contact information please visit San Francisco International Airport’s website.
Bus
SamTrans buses provide transportation between the San Francisco city center and the airport. These public buses are operated by San Mateo County and run between San Mateo, various parts of San Francisco and San Francisco International Airport. SamTrans lines KX, 292, 397, and 398 run directly to the airport terminals. Buses stop at the arrivals and baggage claim level of Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 and at Level 1 of the International Terminal.
Rental Car
Renting a car is another transportation alternative to get to the airport. There are many rental car companies located in the city. You can drop off your rental vehicle at the Rental Car Center before your departure. From the Rental Car Center the AirTrain Blue Line provides access to the airport terminals and it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the week. Rental car companies that you can choose from include Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, National, Budget, Fox and Thrifty.
Bike
San Francisco International Airport contains bike assembly stations and parking areas for those who want to access the airport by bike. The BART and SamTrans rapid rail systems provide passengers with bike/transit options and the airport features marked bicycle routes. Bike lovers can easily access the airport by bicycle.
Airport Information
San Francisco International Airport is located 21 km from the city center. The airport covers an expansive area and operates domestic and international flights out of 4 terminals, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the International Terminal. The AirTrain automated system provides free transportation between each terminal, as well as the Rental Car Center and BART station. The AirTrain Red Line links all terminals, terminal garages and the BART Station. The AirTrain Blue Line links the Rental Car Center with all terminals, terminal garages, and the BART Station. SFO also contains a variety of services and amenities to meet passengers’ pre-flight and post-flight needs.
The airport features health services in the terminals, rental car offices, banks, a lost and found, wireless internet, charging stations, clothing stores where you can go shopping, restaurants and cafes, the Aviation Museum & Library, rotating exhibitions, spa services, children’s play areas, free yoga rooms, a market, and much more.
Transportation to Chennai City Center from Airport
Chennai Intl. Airport
The distance between the airport and the crowded Indian city Chennai is approximately 21 kilometers. After landing at the airport, you can find many transportation alternatives for travelling to the city center. You can benefit from many options for travelling to the city center such as taxi, train or bus. You can also rent a car for a more comfortable transportation during your stay in the city.
Train
The railway system of the city is one of the most preferred transportation options. Although there is not a station in front of the terminal of Chennai Airport, you can reach the Tirusulam Railway Station, which is located 2 kilometers away, by walking or using a rickshaw. The cost of the auto rickshaws parking outside the domestic terminal of the airport is 30 Indian Rupee for 2 kilometers but this amount increases at night hours.
If you don’t have any luggage and think that you can find a place for yourself in the crowd, you can prefer this travel which will last 30 minutes. The wagons are clean and air-conditioned. The trains operate from the early hours of the morning until the midnight and you don’t wait too much at Tirusulam station. The ticket price is around 40 Indian Rupee and you can buy your ticket at the station.
Bus
When you go out of the Chennai Airport terminal, you will see the air-conditioned buses of the route 1B which will take you to the city center. The cost of travelling to the city center with these buses departing every 5 minutes is 45 Indian Rupee.
You can get information about the timetables of the bus route 18A, which goes directly to Chennai city center, by visiting the airport information desk. Travelling to the city center by using these buses which depart every hour takes about 40 minutes and it has the same price with the bus route 1B.
Another alternative is getting on one of the buses passing through the highway in front of the airport. You can signal for these buses which do not stop everywhere. You need to get information about the prices from the driver.
Taxi
The most practical and fastest way to get to the city center from Chennai Airport is using a taxi. You can travel to the city center by paying a fare between 200 and 300 Indian Rupee without being subject to a price tariff other than the standard when you get one of the prepaid taxis at the airport. You can make a reservation in advance for using these taxis and pay the fare to the counters found at the arriving passenger gate. You can also get on a taxi outside the terminal and this alternative can cost minimum 350-500 Indian Rupee. The majority of the taxis offering service in Chennai and its surrounding consists of the taxis belonging to the taxi stands like City Taxi (+91 82972 82979), Meru Cabs (+91 44 4422 4422), Aviation Express Taxis (+91 44 2256 2193) and Fast Track (+91 44 2888 9999).
The estimated fares of the taxis that you can use for travelling from Chennai Airport to the city center vary from INR 350 to 500. Note that there can be a slight difference between the domestic and international terminals in terms of the fares. The travel lasts about 30-40 minutes.
Car Rental
You can see the offices of many international car rental companies like Avis, Europcar and Hertz at the arriving passenger section of Chennai International Airport. In addition to these companies, there are also local car rental companies offering service at the airport such as Mary Matha Cabs (+91 98844 69469) Zoomcars (+91 08 4339 37107 / +91 08 4339 37108), Aviation Express (+91 44 2435 4073). However, if you want to benefit from the discounts and have a more budget-friendly travel, you can make an online reservation before your flight.
Since India is a hot country, we advise you to rent an air-conditioned car even if it is a little more expensive. While renting a car, you don’t need to get insurance and pay an additional amount for this.
Ride-Sharing
You can find another passenger going to the city center from the airport and use Uber or taxi together in order to pay less for this travel. Ride-sharing is among the best methods for travelling to the city center as well as being an economic and fast way.
Chennai Weather
5-Day Forecast • Min / Max Temperature
Wednesday
9 Sep
35°28°
Today
Thursday
10 Sep
34°27°
Friday
11 Sep
35°26°
Saturday
12 Sep
36°27°
Sunday
13 Sep
36°27°
Alternative Flights San Francisco Chennai
Flights with Alternative Departure Locations San Francisco Chennai
More Information About Chennai
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Wingie offer the cheapest San Francisco-Chennai flights?
How does Wingie offer the cheapest San Francisco-Chennai flights?
When you search for San Francisco-Chennai flights, Wingie directly gathers and compares instant data from all airlines. You can see all San Francisco-Chennai flights together for the date you are looking for and choose the most suitable flight.
Which airports can I use for San Francisco-Chennai flights?
Which airports can I use for San Francisco-Chennai flights?
For San Francisco-Chennai flights, you can use Embarkader Airport, San Francisco Intl. Airport as departure airport, and Chennai Intl. Airport for arrival.
How many kilometers is the flight distance from San Francisco-Chennai and how long does the flight take?
How many kilometers is the flight distance from San Francisco-Chennai and how long does the flight take?
The flight distance between San Francisco-Chennai is 13888 kilometers in total. The flight between the two cities takes 17 hour 20 minutes.
Which day is the most convenient for San Francisco-Chennai flights?
Which day is the most convenient for San Francisco-Chennai flights?
When the average prices are examined, the most suitable day for San Francisco-Chennai flights is Tuesday.
San Francisco-Chennai: which airline is better value on this route?
San Francisco-Chennai: which airline is better value on this route?
On this route, low-cost airlines typically offer fares that include only cabin and hand baggage. Full-service airlines may include baggage and refreshment fees in the base price. The best option varies according to baggage needs. Based on current data, the lowest fare on this route with Cathay Pacific starts from approximately $524.
| Airline | Price | Standard inclusions |
|---|---|---|
 Air India | $528 | 1 piece X 7 kg cabin baggage / 1 piece X 23 kg checked baggage / Paid Change (up to 48 hours) / No Refund |
 Cathay Pacific | $524 | 1 piece X 7 kg cabin baggage / 1 piece X 23 kg checked baggage / Paid Change (up to 48 hours) / Partial Refund (up to 48 hours) / Complimentary Refreshments |
Last update: 07.09.2026
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