💰 When is the cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Bogotá?
This month: Fares average around $525, easing slightly from July but still well above the September floor.
Round-trip economy fares swing from around $400 in September, the cheapest month, to roughly $650 during the week between Christmas and New Year's, the most expensive stretch of the year on this route. July and August also run high on US summer travel demand, while February, May, September, and October offer the most reliable low fares.
📊 Price trends: San Francisco to Bogotá
Round-trip economy estimates across the next 12 months. Use the chart to spot the cheapest window before locking in dates.
Cheapest month
Jun · $130
Peak month
Dec · $223
Source: Aviasales · Prices are round-trip economy estimates · Updated May 2026
Here's a month-by-month look at prices on this route:
✈️ What are the best ways to get from San Francisco to Bogotá?
Five airlines connect San Francisco to Bogotá, and none offer a nonstop — every itinerary requires one connection. United and Avianca lead on frequency through Houston and Miami; Copa's Panama City transfer is the fastest layover; American and Delta round out oneworld and SkyTeam coverage through Miami and Atlanta.
United runs the fastest realistic SFO-Bogotá connection, pairing a daily SFO-Houston hop with a frequent IAH-BOG leg through Terminal C. Basic Economy strips the free carry-on and MileagePlus elite credit — book Economy Standard if checking a bag. Best for travelers who want one carrier and the shortest total travel day here.
Best for: most weekday frequency and single-carrier simplicity
American's Miami hub timing is built for onward Colombian domestic connections, leaving a comfortable bank of time before most Avianca or LATAM flights to the coast. Skip AA's Basic Economy fare if checking a bag; it excludes AAdvantage elite miles and the fee erases most savings. Best for oneworld flyers who want Miami's dense Colombian domestic schedule as a launch point.
Best for: oneworld loyalists and onward same-day connections to Cartagena or Medellín
Avianca's real advantage isn't the SFO-BOG leg — it's what happens after landing. As Colombia's flag carrier, Avianca runs the country's largest domestic network from El Dorado, so a same-ticket connection to Cartagena, Medellín, or Cali is the smoothest of any airline here. Basic fare excludes a checked bag; once you add the roughly $60-80 fee back in, Classic fare — which includes it — is often only $10-20 more. Best for travelers whose trip doesn't end in Bogotá.
Best for: connecting onward within Colombia same-day on Avianca's largest domestic network
Copa's Tocumen hub is built for fast transfers, and the Panama City layover here typically runs under 90 minutes, the shortest connection window of the five carriers. Book a morning SFO departure rather than an afternoon one — Panama's wet season brings frequent late-day storm delays that can turn a tight connection into a missed one. Copa shares Star Alliance with United, so miles credit to MileagePlus without a separate login. Best for travelers who want speed over loyalty.
Best for: the shortest, most reliable layover of any carrier on this route
Delta's Atlanta connection is the longest total routing of the five options, but it's also the most reliable for SkyMiles elite credit and Comfort+ upgrades on the long ATL-BOG leg. Atlanta's hub size means more rebooking options if weather disrupts a connection, an advantage during Gulf Coast hurricane season on other routings. Skip Delta if travel time is your priority — this is consistently the slowest of the five. Best for SkyMiles members who value flexibility over speed.
Best for: SkyMiles loyalists and Delta Comfort+ upgrade availability
Mubboo verdict: Skip the mythical nonstop — there isn't one. Book United via Houston for the fastest realistic connection, or Copa via Panama City for the smoothest layover in Latin America.
Prices shown are approximate averages based on recent searches (April 2026). Actual fares vary by date, class, and availability.
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Compare all flights →📅 When should you book San Francisco to Bogotá flights?
Book 5-7 weeks before departure for the best fares on any of the five carriers — earlier doesn't reliably beat this window on Latin American connecting itineraries, and last-minute (under 2 weeks) pricing routinely jumps $150-250 above the September floor. Tuesday and Wednesday departures price lower than Friday or Sunday on every carrier here, a pattern that holds through most of the year except the week around Christmas and New Year, when demand overrides the usual day-of-week discount. September and October are the cheapest months to fly, both outside Colombia's holiday travel season and past the worst of Bogotá's spring rains. Avoid Basic Economy if you're checking a bag on Avianca, American, or United — the fee usually erases most of the savings once added back.
August continues July's dry, mild pattern — some of the best weather of the year — while summer travel demand keeps fares close to their yearly high.
If you're a family flying in summer, book by March — peak season fills up fast.
Budget travelers: shoulder season (Sep–Oct, Apr–May) offers the best balance of price and weather.
💡 This Aug: Book by early July for meaningfully better August pricing.
🏙️ Why visit Bogotá?
Bogotá earns its reputation as South America's most underrated capital honestly — La Candelaria's colonial streets sit beside some of the continent's best street art, and the Gold Museum's pre-Columbian collection makes it one of the region's most-visited museums. Multiple video reviewers covering this route call acclimatizing to the altitude before tackling Monserrate the single most important first-day decision, since the city sits at 8,660 feet with roughly 25% less oxygen than sea level. Zipaquirá's underground Salt Cathedral, about 90 minutes outside the city, consistently rates as the top day-trip add-on. The food scene runs deeper than expected: ajiaco soup and tamales sit alongside an international restaurant scene in Chapinero and Zona T. The city is also notably pet-friendly. Weather stays mild and rainy year-round rather than seasonal-hot, so pack layers regardless of when you fly.
What makes Bogotá worth the flight:
Monserrate, La Candelaria, and the Gold Museum anchor any Bogotá itinerary, while the Botero Museum and Plaza de Bolívar round out a genuine two-to-three-day stay rather than a rushed layover. A half-day trip to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral extends the underground-cathedral theme beyond the city, and Usaquén's Sunday craft market covers shopping without Zona T's price markup.
Best neighborhoods to explore:
Bogotá's oldest neighborhood, home to Plaza de Bolívar and the Gold Museum. Best visited during the day — several reviewers note it isn't the safest after dark unless you know the streets well.
Bogotá's nightlife core and among its safest districts, packed with restaurants, bars, and boutique hotels — the easiest base for a first Bogotá trip.
A colonial-era layout with a large Sunday craft and antiques market, consistently ranked among Bogotá's safest neighborhoods for visitors.
A mixed residential-commercial district with noticeably lower rents than Zona T, popular with digital nomads and return visitors who want a more local pace.
Don't miss:
Monserrate
Take the cable car or funicular, not the stairs, on day one — the high altitude hits harder than most first-timers expect.
Browse Monserrate tours →Museo del Oro (Gold Museum)
Home to 34,000 pre-Columbian gold pieces — budget 2 hours minimum, more with an audio guide.
Browse Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) tours →La Candelaria walking tour
Free walking tours cover street art and colonial history — tip 10-15% at the end.
Browse La Candelaria walking tour tours →Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral
An underground cathedral carved into a working salt mine, about 90 minutes outside the city by tour bus.
Browse Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral tours →Plaza de Bolívar
Bogotá's political heart, ringed by the Capitolio Nacional and the Cathedral of Bogotá.
Browse Plaza de Bolívar tours →Usaquén Sunday Market
A weekly crafts and antiques market in one of Bogotá's safest neighborhoods.
Browse Usaquén Sunday Market tours →Mubboo Verdict:
Bogotá rewards travelers who give the altitude one quiet day before sightseeing — rushing straight to Monserrate on arrival morning is the most common regret among first-time visitors to this route.
🧳 What do you need to know before flying to Bogotá?
🛂 Do Americans need a visa for Bogotá?
US citizens don't need a Colombian visa for tourist or business stays up to 90 days, extendable to a 180-day cumulative annual maximum. File the free Check-Mig entry form online between 1 and 72 hours before departure — officers at El Dorado do check for it. The State Department currently rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel, concentrated in specific rural departments and border regions rather than Bogotá's main tourist neighborhoods — confirm the current advisory at travel.state.gov before booking. [GOV]
🕐 What's the time difference?
Bogotá runs on Colombia Time (COT, UTC-5) year-round with no daylight saving, putting it 2 hours ahead of San Francisco during Pacific Daylight Time and 3 hours ahead during Pacific Standard Time.
🚇 How do you get from the airport to the city?
El Dorado International to central Bogotá: roughly 9 miles, 20-45 minutes depending on traffic and time of day.
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uber / inDrive ✅ | 20-40 min | ~$6-15 USD | Most travelers — editor's pick |
| Official yellow taxi | 20-45 min | ~$8-18 USD | Solo travelers, late-night arrivals |
| Pre-booked private transfer | 20-40 min | ~$20-35 USD | Families, early-morning arrivals |
| TransMilenio + feeder bus | 45-75 min | Under $1 USD | Budget travelers without heavy luggage |
Editor's pick: app-based rideshare — cheaper than a taxi, no Spanish required, and no curbside fare negotiation.
💷 What about money and tipping?
Colombia uses the Colombian peso (COP); as of June 2026, 1 USD converts to roughly 3,592 COP. Carry cash for taxis and street vendors, use ATMs inside bank branches rather than standalone street machines, and expect a suggested 10% tip (propina sugerida) added automatically at sit-down restaurants.
Bogotá currency snapshot
1 USD = 3,203 COP
1 COP = $0.0003 USD
Colombian Peso
Cash
ATMs offer the best rate. Avoid airport currency desks.
Tipping
Cash for taxis and street vendors. Use ATMs inside banks. Tip 10% in restaurants (often added as "propina su…
Cards
Visa and Mastercard widely accepted. Tell your bank before you go.
Source: open.er-api.com · Updated Aug 1, 2026 · Rates fluctuate — check before booking.
📱 Will your phone work?
T-Mobile and Verizon international plans cover Colombia, but a local eSIM (Claro, Movistar, or Tigo networks) is cheaper for stays over a few days — Colombia uses 123 as its unified emergency number rather than the US 911.
☁️ Bogotá climate overview
Best: Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, DecHistorical highs, lows, and rainfall by month. Plan packing and outdoor time around the extremes.
Jan
69°/47°F
3.6″ rain
Feb
68°/52°F
0.9″ rain
Mar
66°/51°F
8.9″ rain
Apr
66°/52°F
9.0″ rain
May
66°/50°F
5.4″ rain
Jun
65°/50°F
6.4″ rain
Jul
64°/51°F
2.6″ rain
Aug
66°/48°F
2.4″ rain
Sep
65°/49°F
3.7″ rain
Oct
66°/50°F
4.3″ rain
Nov
65°/52°F
2.9″ rain
Dec
67°/49°F
0.9″ rain
Source: Open-Meteo Archive API · 2025 historical data · Updated July 2026
Ready to lock in your fare? Search live prices below:
✈️ Ready to book? Compare San Francisco to Bogotá flights
Search flights →🛫 Flying from San Francisco — airport tips
SFO Terminal 3 — United gates (United Airlines)
- Star Alliance Gold/MileagePlus Premier lines move faster during the 6-9am departure bank
- Polaris lounge access requires a Polaris-cabin ticket or qualifying status, not just Star Gold
- Terminal 3 security often has the shortest TSA PreCheck line at SFO before 7am
SFO Terminal 2 — American Airlines gates (American Airlines)
- Admirals Club sits pre-security, adjacent to gates 50-59
- Basic Economy boards last regardless of check-in time
- Terminal 2 connects via AirTrain to Terminal 1 if you're rebooked onto Delta
Bogotá El Dorado Terminal 1 — international arrivals (All international carriers)
- Immigration queues run longest 6-9pm when multiple US connections land together
- Have your Check-Mig confirmation ready on your phone before reaching the immigration desk
- Official currency exchange counters sit past immigration, before baggage claim
🚐 Skip the hassle? Book a private airport transfer
Fixed price, meet & greet at arrivals, door-to-door service
💡 Insider tips: San Francisco to Bogotá
There's no nonstop — the connection city matters more than the airline
Every SFO-Bogotá itinerary requires one stop, so the real decision is Houston, Miami, Atlanta, or Panama City, not which logo is on the ticket. Copa's Panama City layover consistently runs shortest; United's Houston connection is typically 1h15m-2h. If your trip is time-sensitive, pick the shortest layover city over brand loyalty — it adds up to nearly an hour of saved travel time.
Book Classic over Basic on Avianca if you're checking a bagMubboo original data
We compared Basic and Classic fares across a sample of SFO-Bogotá dates on Avianca: once the checked-bag fee is added back onto Basic, Classic frequently costs only $10-20 more and includes the bag standard, plus a seat assignment and better rebooking protection. Basic Economy also excludes elite-qualifying miles on most Star Alliance partner tickets, erasing another reason to book it.
Morning departures beat afternoon ones through Panama CityMubboo original data
Panama's wet season runs roughly May through November, and Tocumen International sees frequent afternoon tropical storm delays during those months. A same-day arrival into Bogotá becomes a real risk on late-day Copa connections during this stretch. Booking the earliest SFO departure gives your Panama City layover a weather buffer instead of racing a storm-delayed inbound aircraft — a pattern that held consistently across the flights we tracked.
File Check-Mig before you board, not after you land
Colombia's free Check-Mig entry form must be submitted online before departure, and immigration officers at El Dorado do check for it on arrival. Skipping it doesn't mean denied entry, but it does mean a slower manual-entry line during exactly the evening arrival bank when queues already run long.
Credit any Star Alliance carrier's miles to United MileagePlus
United, Avianca, and Copa all share Star Alliance membership, so a ticket on any of the three earns redeemable miles in a single MileagePlus account instead of forcing you to open a separate LifeMiles or ConnectMiles login just for one Bogotá trip. It's the simplest way to consolidate earning if you already fly United domestically.
👥 Who flies this route — and what they should know
Digital nomad on an extended stay
Featured this monthRecommended: Avianca via Miami, off-peak weekday departure, economy with seat upgrade. Avianca's Miami connection lets you credit LifeMiles or transfer to United MileagePlus since both share Star Alliance, useful if booking multiple round trips during a months-long stay. Colombia allows tourist stays up to 180 cumulative days per year, split across visits, covering most nomad stints without a formal visa. Mubboo Pick: base yourself in Chapinero for coworking spaces, cafes, and rent noticeably cheaper than Zona T. File Check-Mig online before each flight — officers at El Dorado do check, and skipping it adds a slower manual-entry line. Budget for the rainy season if staying through March or April.
First-time Bogotá culture-and-history tourist
Recommended: Copa Airlines via Panama City, morning SFO departure, economy. Copa's Tocumen connection runs shorter than any other carrier here, so you land with more energy for La Candelaria's cobblestone streets and the Gold Museum's collection. Clear customs at Terminal 1, then take an Uber over the official taxi line. Mubboo Pick: spend day one at low-exertion sights like Plaza de Bolívar and the Botero Museum, saving Monserrate for day two once you've adjusted to the altitude. Skip the walk-up stairs entirely on your first morning — altitude sickness hits harder than most first-timers expect. Book a Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral day trip for day three.
Safety-conscious first-time solo traveler
Recommended: United via Houston, daytime arrival into Bogotá, economy. United's Houston connection is the fastest realistic itinerary, and a daytime arrival means you're never navigating an unfamiliar city after dark on day one. Stay in Zona T or Usaquén — both rank among Bogotá's safest neighborhoods, far from the rural departments the Level 3 advisory actually targets. Mubboo Pick: book a hotel with 24-hour security and use Uber or inDrive exclusively over street taxis, especially after dark in La Candelaria. Register with the State Department's free STEP program before departure. Keep valuables out of sight on Monserrate's cable car line and around Plaza de Bolívar, both flagged as pickpocket hotspots by returning travelers.
Points and miles maximizer
Recommended: United via Houston or Delta via Atlanta, booked with miles, economy or premium economy. United MileagePlus and Delta SkyMiles both price BOG award tickets reasonably during off-peak months, and Star Alliance members can credit Avianca or Copa flights to a United account instead of opening a separate LifeMiles login. Mubboo Pick: book Copa's Panama City connection with cash and credit the miles to United — Copa's layover beats most alternatives for speed, and the miles still count toward United elite status. Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum both include trip-delay coverage that beats a standalone policy here. Avoid Basic Economy on any carrier if using status-qualifying miles — several programs exclude basic fares from elite credit entirely.
Traveler continuing to Cartagena or Medellín
Recommended: American via Miami, connecting same-day onward to a domestic Colombian flight, economy. American's Miami hub timing leaves a comfortable bank of connection time before most Avianca or LATAM departures to Cartagena or Medellín, both roughly 1 hour from Bogotá by air. Mubboo Pick: book the domestic leg separately only if your MIA-BOG arrival lands with at least 3 hours of buffer — the domestic terminal at El Dorado is a short walk from international arrivals, not a full transfer. Skip same-day connections if your flight arrives after 6 p.m.; evening coastal departures sell out fast and delays compound quickly. Cartagena's walled city and Medellín's Comuna 13 rate as the top add-on stops for this multi-city itinerary.
Business traveler visiting Bogotá's fintech sector
Recommended: United via Houston, weekday morning departure, Economy Plus or United Premium Plus. United's Houston connection offers the most weekday frequency of any carrier here, which matters most for last-minute rebooking if a client meeting shifts. Mubboo Pick: fly out Monday, return Thursday or Friday — midweek Zona T hotel rates run noticeably lower than weekend pricing, and you'll dodge the Friday-afternoon SFO departure premium most carriers charge. Request Polaris lounge access at IAH during the layover rather than a gate wait; the connection window usually leaves time to work before boarding. Keep a printed hotel confirmation and return-ticket proof on hand at Colombian immigration — officers occasionally request it despite not being formally required.
⚖️ Flight delayed or canceled?
No EU261-style compensation applies on US-Colombia routes. Under US DOT rules, carriers must offer a refund — not just a rebooking — for cancelled flights or significant schedule changes upon request for the domestic-hub leg; Colombia's Aerocivil enforces its own delay-compensation rules, with a 75-minute threshold before penalties apply, for the BOG-bound segment.
📱
Free option: Free workaround: most Bogotá hotels and cafes in Zona T and Chapinero offer WiFi strong enough for maps and rideshare apps if you're staying in the city center.
Activate data before you land at El Dorado — a Colombia eSIM covers Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín if you're extending the trip, and skips the arrivals-hall SIM kiosk line entirely.
🛡️
Free option: Free workaround: some credit cards (Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum) already include trip-delay coverage — check your card's benefits guide before buying a separate policy.
A missed layover in Panama City or Miami can strand you overnight — trip insurance with missed-connection coverage reimburses hotel and rebooking costs most airlines won't.
🚕
Free option: Free workaround: Uber or inDrive cover the same route for roughly $6-15 and don't require Spanish or curbside fare negotiation.
A pre-booked private transfer beats the taxi line after an 11-hour connecting itinerary — fixed-rate rides from El Dorado to Zona T or Usaquén run about $20-35.
Emergency contacts in Bogotá
Frequently asked questions about San Francisco to Bogotá flights
No airline currently flies nonstop between SFO and Bogotá. Every itinerary connects through a US or Latin American hub — United via Houston, American or Avianca via Miami, Copa via Panama City, or Delta via Atlanta. Total travel time runs about 9h30m to nearly 12 hours depending on the connection, with United's Houston routing typically the fastest door-to-door.
Flights from San Francisco
Popular Bogotá routes
Researched by Mubboo Editorial Team · Reviewed by Richard Lee, Founder
Prices from Aviasales. Seasonal advice updated: August 2026 · Last editorial review: 2026-07-01 · Government info: travel.state.gov
Prices last updated just now · cached fares aggregating 800+ airlines and agencies · Check current prices →
M verdicts are based on editorial research — not pulled from a database.