Award flights from Houston to San Francisco
Award space from Houston to San Francisco
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AwardTool saw award space on 5 airport pairs between Houston (IAH, HOU) and San Francisco (SFO, OAK, SJC) in the last 30 days. Lowest economy: 8,000 miles + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (American Airlines AAdvantage). Lowest business class: 43,600 points + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (Qantas Frequent Flyer); mixed cabin from 30,000 miles + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (United MileagePlus).
Prices observed – .
Page regenerated from the Nov 12, 2026 data snapshot (normally daily). Summary last changed . Seats change quickly.
- Lowest economy
- 8,000 pts + $5.60
- IAH–SFO · AAdvantage
- Lowest business class
- 43,600 pts + $5.60
- IAH–SFO · Qantas · mixed cabin from 30,000 pts + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (MileagePlus)
- Lowest first class
- 18,500 pts + $5.60
- HOU–SFO · AAdvantage
Economy was lowest on IAH–SFO: 8,000 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage. The lowest on another airport pair was 8,000 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage on IAH–SJC. With Qantas Frequent Flyer, business class started at 43,600 points + $5.60, about 2.1 times the points of its lowest economy award (20,700 points + $5.60).
Compare programs by cabin
The lowest one-way award each program showed in each cabin, sorted by points.
Economy
Lowest economy from Houston to San Francisco on points: 8,000 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage on IAH–SFO (seen on 66 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 8,000 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 66 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 11,400 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 37 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 pts + $25.60 | IAH–SFO | 27 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 13,700 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 27 |
| United MileagePlus | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 322 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 31 |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 17,500 pts + $19.48 | IAH–SFO | 20 |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 19,000 pts + $9.53 | IAH–SFO | 258 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 20,700 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 19 |
| Etihad Guest | 21,000 pts + $39.38 | IAH–SFO | 16 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 24,000 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 15 |
| GOL Smiles | 31,400 pts + taxes not reported | IAH–SFO | 25 |
Business Class
Lowest business class from Houston to San Francisco on points: 43,600 points + $5.60 with Qantas Frequent Flyer on IAH–SFO (seen on 21 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| United MileagePlusLowest, mixed cabin | 30,000 pts + $5.60Mixed cabin | IAH–SFO | 69 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 1 |
| Etihad Guest | 35,000 pts + $48.83Mixed cabin | IAH–SFO | 13 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 43,600 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 21 |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 60,000 pts + $32.07 | IAH–SFO | 5 |
| GOL Smiles | 64,300 pts + taxes not reportedMixed cabin | IAH–SFO | 19 |
First Class
Lowest first class from Houston to San Francisco on points: 18,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage on HOU–SFO (seen on 34 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 18,500 pts + $5.60 | HOU–SFO | 34 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 25,000 pts + $25.60 | IAH–SFO | 27 |
| United MileagePlus | 30,000 pts + $5.60Mixed cabin | IAH–SFO | 322 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 45,800 pts + $5.60 | IAH–SFO | 37 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 80,500 pts + $11.20 | IAH–SFO | 5 |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats.
Houston to San Francisco at a glance
- From
- Houston (IAH, HOU)
- To
- San Francisco (SFO, OAK, SJC)
- Programs with award space seen
- 12 of 13 programs tracked on this route
- Nonstop award space seen
- Yes, in economy and first class, via Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity
- Airlines seen on these awards
- American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS), JetBlue (B6), Delta Air Lines (DL), United Airlines (UA)
- Departures with open awards
- Nov 2026 to Sep 2027
- Latest departure with space
- Observation window
- Awards observed in the last 30 days
- Distance
- 1,605–1,647 miles (2,583–2,650 km) between the airports, great-circle
- Destination guide
- Award flights to San Francisco
Compare airports
Lowest one-way award AwardTool observed on each airport pair between Houston and San Francisco, with the program and the number of departure dates seen.
| Airports | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO) | 8,000 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 66 dates | 30,000 pts + $5.60MileagePlus · 69 dates · Mixed cabin | 25,000 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 66 dates |
| Houston (IAH) to Oakland (OAK) | 12,500 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 7 dates | — | 25,000 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 7 dates |
| Houston (IAH) to San Jose (SJC) | 8,000 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 21 dates | — | 25,000 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 21 dates |
| Houston (HOU) to San Francisco (SFO) | 8,500 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 34 dates | — | 18,500 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 34 dates |
| Houston (HOU) to San Jose (SJC) | 8,500 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 7 dates | — | 18,500 pts + $5.60AAdvantage · 7 dates |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats.
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Lowest observed by cabin, Houston to San Francisco
- Economy: 8,000 miles + $5.60 on Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO) with American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed economy award space there on 66 dates.
- Business Class: 43,600 points + $5.60 on Houston (IAH) to San Francisco (SFO) with Qantas Frequent Flyer, which showed business-class award space there on 21 dates; mixed cabin from 30,000 miles + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (United MileagePlus).
- First Class: 18,500 miles + $5.60 on Houston (HOU) to San Francisco (SFO) with American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed first-class award space there on 34 dates.
Observed award examples
| Departure | Cabin | Airports | Program | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | HOU–SFO | American Airlines AAdvantage | 8,500 pts + $5.60 | — | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Economy | IAH–SFO | Avianca LifeMiles | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Business | IAH–SFO | United MileagePlus | 30,000 pts + $5.60Mixed cabin | 2 | 2 stops | Check this date | ||
| Business | IAH–SFO | Etihad Guest | 40,000 pts + $52.20 | 2 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | HOU–SFO | American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 pts + $5.60 | — | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | IAH–SFO | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 25,000 pts + $25.60 | 5 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | IAH–SFO | Delta SkyMiles | 46,300 pts + $5.60 | 9+ | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | IAH–SFO | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 80,500 pts + $11.20 | 1 | 1 stop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Nonstop award space
- Economy: nonstop from 15,000 miles + $5.60 via United MileagePlus on IAH–SFO, which showed nonstop space there on 322 dates (4 programs had nonstop space).
- First class: nonstop from 65,400 miles + taxes vary via United MileagePlus on IAH–SFO, which showed nonstop space there on 322 dates.
Best months to fly from Houston to San Francisco on points
Each month shows the lowest award seen across the 5 airport pairs, with that program's open dates on the airport pair behind it.
| Month | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 pts + $5.60 (12 dates)AAdvantage | 30,000 pts + $5.60 (12 dates)MileagePlus · Mixed cabin | 18,500 pts + $5.60 (12 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported (20 dates)AAdvantage | 30,000 pts + taxes not reported (15 dates)MileagePlus · Mixed cabin | 20,500 pts + taxes not reported (15 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 8,000 pts + $5.60 (7 dates)AAdvantage | 30,000 pts + taxes not reported (14 dates)MileagePlus · Mixed cabin | 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (7 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 8,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 64,900 pts + taxes not reported (5 dates)MileagePlus | 18,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 8,500 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)AAdvantage | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Etihad Guest | 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (6 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)AAdvantage | 64,900 pts + taxes not reported (5 dates)MileagePlus | 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (3 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 12,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 64,900 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)MileagePlus | 25,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 15,000 pts + taxes not reported (30 dates)MileagePlus | — | 70,200 pts + taxes not reported (30 dates)MileagePlus | |
| 10,500 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)AAdvantage | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Etihad Guest | 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Atmos | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported (9 dates)AAdvantage | 35,000 pts + $48.83 (9 dates)Etihad Guest · Mixed cabin | 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (9 dates)AAdvantage | |
| 15,000 pts + taxes not reported (29 dates)MileagePlus | 64,900 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)MileagePlus | 70,200 pts + taxes not reported (29 dates)MileagePlus |
A month's taxes are those of an award AwardTool recorded at that month's lowest price for a departure that month. “Taxes not reported” means the data has none for that month; the award still has taxes and fees.
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | — | — | — | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
| United MileagePlus | — | 1:1 · Instant | — | 1:1 · Instant | — | — |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed.
Questions about Houston to San Francisco award flights
Which airports had the lowest award prices from Houston to San Francisco?
In business class, IAH–SFO with 43,600 points + $5.60 (Qantas Frequent Flyer); mixed cabin from 30,000 miles + $5.60 on IAH–SFO (United MileagePlus). In economy, IAH–SFO with 8,000 miles + $5.60 (American Airlines AAdvantage). Prices are the lowest AwardTool observed in the last 30 days; search live before transferring points.
Which airport pairs between Houston and San Francisco had award space?
IAH–SFO (economy, business class and first class), IAH–OAK (economy and first class), IAH–SJC (economy and first class), HOU–SFO (economy and first class) and HOU–SJC (economy and first class). Airport pairs not listed had no award space AwardTool observed in the last 30 days.
How many points does it take to fly from Houston to San Francisco?
The lowest economy award AwardTool has seen was 8,000 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage. American Airlines AAdvantage showed economy award space on 66 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 12, 2026, 04:46 UTC). The lowest business-class award AwardTool has seen was 43,600 points + $5.60 with Qantas Frequent Flyer. Seen Oct 29, 2026, 22:05 UTC for a Dec 1, 2026 departure. Qantas Frequent Flyer showed business-class award space on 21 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 12, 2026, 04:46 UTC). A mixed-cabin itinerary, with part of the trip in a lower cabin, was seen from 30,000 miles + $5.60 with United MileagePlus. Search live before transferring points.
Which loyalty programs had award space from Houston to San Francisco?
12 programs in the last 30 days: American Airlines AAdvantage (economy 66 dates, first class 34 dates); Alaska Atmos Rewards (economy 27 dates, first class 27 dates); Avianca LifeMiles (economy 31 dates, business class 1 date); JetBlue TrueBlue (economy 27 dates); Delta SkyMiles (economy 37 dates, first class 37 dates); Etihad Guest (economy 16 dates, business class 13 dates); GOL Smiles (economy 25 dates, business class 19 dates); Air France/KLM Flying Blue (economy 20 dates, business class 5 dates) and 4 more. Dates count departure dates with an open award.
Can you fly nonstop from Houston to San Francisco on points?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop award space in economy and first class, bookable via Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity. The lowest nonstop award in economy was 15,000 miles + $5.60 with United MileagePlus.
How much are taxes and fees on award flights from Houston to San Francisco?
Taxes and fees on each program's lowest award ranged in economy from $5.60 with AAdvantage (8,000 miles + $5.60) to $39.38 with Etihad Guest (21,000 miles + $39.38); in business class from $5.60 with MileagePlus (30,000 miles + $5.60 on a mixed-cabin itinerary) to $48.83 with Etihad Guest (35,000 miles + $48.83 on a mixed-cabin itinerary). GOL Smiles did not report taxes for its lowest economy and business-class awards. Amounts are one way per traveler in USD and can differ on other dates and routings.
Which credit card points can book awards from Houston to San Francisco?
American Express Membership Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:4), Delta SkyMiles (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Bilt Rewards: Alaska Atmos Rewards (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Capital One Miles: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:3), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Chase Ultimate Rewards: JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Citi ThankYou Points: American Airlines AAdvantage (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Wells Fargo Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). These are US card programs; ratios come from AwardTool's transfer partner list. Check current bonuses first.
What's the best month to fly from Houston to San Francisco on points?
Counting only month prices from programs with award space on 2 or more dates that month, and leaving out unusually low outliers: in economy, the lowest award was for Jan 2027 departures, 8,000 miles + $5.60 with AAdvantage (7 dates); in business class, the lowest award was for Aug 2027 departures, 43,600 points + taxes not reported with Qantas (9 dates), and a mixed-cabin itinerary was seen for Dec 2026 departures from 30,000 miles + taxes not reported with MileagePlus. The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.
When do award seats open for flights from Houston to San Francisco?
Booking windows before departure published by the programs with award space here (AwardTool's program data, reviewed Nov 6, 2026): Avianca LifeMiles about 360 days, Air France/KLM Flying Blue about 359 days, Qantas Frequent Flyer about 353 days and 7 other programs. AwardTool saw award space on this route for departures as late as Sep 30, 2027; seats can open earlier or later, and released seats may already be booked. See award release dates by program.