San Francisco’s SFO to Welcome 16 Airlines with Nonstop Flights to Europe in 2026

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is set to become a major hub for nonstop flights to Europe in 2026, with a total of 16 airlines operating direct routes. According to data from aviation analytics company Cirium, SFO will feature an impressive 8,682 scheduled departures to various European destinations, offering over 2.65 million seats throughout the year.

United Airlines dominates this market, accounting for a significant share of the operations. The carrier plans to conduct 3,106 flights, translating to approximately 850,948 available seats, which represents 35.8% of the total departures and 32% of the seating capacity on these routes. United provides year-round service to key European cities such as Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Munich (MUC), and Paris (CDG), while seasonal routes include Amsterdam (AMS), Barcelona (BCN), Rome (FCO), and Zurich (ZRH). The airline primarily utilizes widebody twinjets from the Boeing 777 and 787 families for these flights.

In remarks about United’s growth at SFO, CEO Scott Kirby stated, “We’re winning more Bay Area customers because of our investments in the product, the experience, and the places we fly. Our growth is a direct result of United’s ambitious network strategy.”

Key Players in European Air Travel from SFO

Several European airlines are also expanding their presence at San Francisco International Airport. Both British Airways and Lufthansa are set to operate 722 departures each, although Lufthansa surpasses in seat capacity with 266,137 seats compared to British Airways’ 261,863. British Airways operates flights to London Heathrow using the Boeing 777 and Airbus A380, while Lufthansa offers services to both Frankfurt and Munich with the Boeing 747-400, 747-8, and Airbus A350-900.

Following closely, Turkish Airlines has scheduled 564 departures to its hub in Istanbul (IST), utilizing the Airbus A350-900 for these flights. The airline’s monthly departures will vary, peaking at 53 in July and August.

Other notable carriers with substantial operations include Virgin Atlantic and Air France. Virgin Atlantic plans 552 flights to London Heathrow, while Air France will operate 541 flights to Paris CDG. In terms of seating capacity, Air France edges out Virgin with 160,556 seats compared to Virgin’s 157,662.

Additional European Carriers at SFO

In addition to the major airlines, another ten European carriers are set to provide less-than-daily flights from San Francisco. KLM leads this group with 356 departures to Amsterdam (AMS), followed closely by Aer Lingus with 351 flights to Dublin (DUB) and SWISS with an equal number of flights to Zurich.

Other airlines include Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), which will operate 334 flights to Copenhagen (CPH), and ITA Airways with 231 departures to Rome (FCO). TAP Air Portugal will provide 227 flights to Lisbon and Terceira, while French bee is set for 186 flights to Paris Orly.

Additionally, Iberia will operate 184 flights to Madrid and Barcelona, and Condor will provide 157 flights to Frankfurt (FRA). Lastly, LOT Polish Airlines will launch its services with 98 flights to Warsaw (WAW) from May to October.

The expansion of nonstop flights from San Francisco to Europe highlights the city’s significance as a travel hub, catering to both leisure and business travelers. With a diverse range of carriers and destinations, SFO continues to solidify its position as a gateway to the world.