Compare 8 loyalty programs for San Francisco to Vancouver award flights, with economy seats from 88 points.
San Francisco to Vancouver is a short-haul US–Canada route; nonstop award space turns up on Air Canada and United Airlines. Award pricing spans eight programs, and economy starts at 88 points via Lufthansa Miles & More, on an Air Canada nonstop. Short flights reward points discipline: check the cash fare before redeeming, and save points for the days award pricing dips. This page compares every way to book SFO–YVR on points.
Best one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Air CanadaAC | 88Lowest | Not available | 20,000Lowest | Not available |
 United AirlinesUA | 9,000pts | Not available | 35,600pts | 33,100Lowest |
 DeltaDL | 11,000pts | Not available | 29,000pts | 35,600pts |
 American AirlinesAA | 12,500pts | Not available | 25,000pts | Not available |
 Alaska AirlinesAS | 12,500pts | Not available | 50,000pts | 35,000pts |
 WestJetWS | 16,000pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Porter AirlinesPD | 17,500pts | 22,500Lowest | Not available | Not available |
When award seats between San Francisco and Vancouver price cheapest over the next year.
| Month | Cheapest award (points) |
|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | 9,900 |
| Dec 2026 | 9,000 |
| Jan 2027 | 12,500 |
| Feb 2027 | 9,200 |
| Mar 2027 | 9,200 |
| Apr 2027 | No award data |
| May 2027 | 11,531 |
| Jun 2027 | No award data |
| Jul 2027 | No award data |
| Aug 2027 | No award data |
| Sep 2027 | No award data |
| Oct 2027 | 88 |
5 airlines with award seats between San Francisco and Vancouver, nonstop or connecting.
American AirlinesAAAir CanadaACAlaska AirlinesASDeltaDLUnited AirlinesUAWhat to know before booking San Francisco to Vancouver with points.
Distance ~800 miles; nonstop flying time ~2h05 (estimate). San Francisco and Vancouver share a time zone for most of the year (1 hour ahead for part of the year as clocks change). The data runs November 2026–October 2027, with calendar prices for seven months. Across well-covered months, December 2026 is the cheapest (9,000 points), while November 2026, January 2027, and May 2027 (9,900–12,500) run higher.
San Francisco to Vancouver is served by American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines and 4 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 8 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 88 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
Roughly 800 miles separate San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR), so a nonstop spends about 2h05 in the air, a little more or less depending on winds and direction. Air Canada and United Airlines both carry nonstop award space in the data. The Boeing 737 appears on some of those nonstop award segments. Most award options in the data connect. Nonstops are just about 8% of the total.
San Francisco–Vancouver rewards discipline: redeem only when points beat what the ticket costs in cash. The cheapest economy seat is a partner award on an Air Canada nonstop, so the lowest price is also the quickest trip. Watch the cash: about $414 in taxes and fees, well above the route's typical economy taxes, so more points and less cash can win. When the fare is low, pay cash and hold the points for a pricier trip. Before moving bank points anywhere, confirm the seat is bookable, since transfers are one-way.
Lufthansa Miles & More is cheapest in economy at 88 points on an Air Canada nonstop. Air Canada Aeroplan wins business class at 20,000 points. United MileagePlus lists first class from 33,100 points, but the fare connects, which usually means first on one leg only; read every segment. The other five programs include American AAdvantage, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Alaska Atmos Rewards.
Air Canada and United Airlines (both Star Alliance members) show nonstop award space on San Francisco–Vancouver, so partner programs across the alliance can price the nonstop, not just the carriers' own. In business class, the floor sits on United Airlines for the long-haul leg, booked through Star Alliance partner Air Canada Aeroplan.
Before transferring points, confirm the departure airport: San Francisco awards can also leave from San Jose (SJC). For a longer redemption from San Francisco, Austin and Amsterdam are tracked too. If saver space disappears, shifting dates a few days either way is the first lever to pull.
Alternative corridors travelers consider alongside San Francisco to Vancouver.
From 4,000 ptsBusiness 17,300 pts
From 4,900 ptsBusiness 21,000 pts
From 5,000 ptsBusiness 19,300 pts
From 5,000 ptsBusiness 23,000 pts
From 6,500 ptsBusiness 11,400 pts
From 7,500 ptsBusiness 15,000 pts
Common questions travelers ask about the San Francisco to Vancouver route.
