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The cheapest order to fly London, Paris and Barcelona from San Francisco

There are 6 ways to fly these cities. They do not cost the same. The cheapest works out at about $841 a person and the most expensive at $1,122, a difference of $281 for visiting exactly the same places.

Fly them in this order

San Francisco → London → Paris → Barcelona → San Francisco

About $841 per person in flights, based on fares recently seen on these routes.

One press plans it on January 16, 2027 to January 30, 2027 for 2 travelers.

Plan this trip on real dates

Every order, priced

  1. San Francisco → London → Paris → Barcelona → San Francisco$841
    cheapest order
  2. San Francisco → London → Barcelona → Paris → San Francisco$868
    $27 more per person
  3. San Francisco → Paris → London → Barcelona → San Francisco$883
    $42 more per person
  4. San Francisco → Paris → Barcelona → London → San Francisco$902
    $61 more per person
  5. San Francisco → Barcelona → London → Paris → San Francisco$1,112
    $271 more per person
  6. San Francisco → Barcelona → Paris → London → San Francisco$1,122
    $281 more per person

Why London first

  1. San Francisco to London$324
  2. London to Paris$37
  3. Paris to Barcelona$36
  4. Barcelona to San Francisco$444
  • Out of San Francisco, London is the cheapest first stop at about $324. Barcelona would be $569.
  • Going home, Barcelona is the cheapest city to leave from at about $444, against $487 from Paris.
  • The dearest order pays $569 for San Francisco to Barcelona, a flight the cheapest order never takes.
  • Barcelona to San Francisco is 53% of what the cheapest order spends on flights, so it is the leg to watch.

Between the cities

  • London to Paris: about 340 km (210 miles) as the crow flies. Also by ground: Eurostar, about 2h 20m, usually $60 to $180. Or FlixBus / BlaBlaCar (overnight), about 8h 20m, usually $30 to $60.
  • Paris to Barcelona: about 830 km (520 miles) as the crow flies. Also by ground: TGV, about 6h 40m, usually $50 to $150.

Entry rules on a US passport

  • US passport: the UK requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visa-free visitors, including short visits and landside transit. Apply via the UK ETA app before travel. Official source
  • US passport: visa-free in the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180. The Entry/Exit System registers biometrics at the border, and the ETIAS pre-travel authorization may now be required; check the official site. Official source

Rules change; check the official source for your passport and dates before you book.

How much the order matters here

Getting the order right is worth $281 a person on this trip, 33% of what the cheapest way round costs. Among the 107 trips we price in full, that puts it in the top third for how much the order matters: flying these cities in the wrong order is an expensive mistake.

The same cities from other airports

The cheapest order depends on where you start. From San Francisco it starts in London.

  • From New Yorkstart in Paris, about $458 a person, $241 less than the dearest order
  • From Los Angelesstart in Paris, about $752 a person, $182 less than the dearest order
  • From Chicagostart in Barcelona, about $822 a person, $200 less than the dearest order
  • From Atlantastart in London, about $878 a person, $200 less than the dearest order

What these numbers are

Cached one-way fares, 12 of 12 legs priced from real observations, put together on November 13, 2026, from fares departing November 15, 2026 onwards. Right for comparing one order with another, not a quote for your dates.

A plan prices your own dates and weighs hours as well as fares, so it can pick a different order from this page.

Other trips priced this way

From San Francisco

Trips through the same cities

Put dates on it

One press starts it on January 16, 2027 to January 30, 2027, 14 days, for 2 travelers. Our dates, not yours, and about two minutes.

Plan London, Paris and Barcelona from San FranciscoOpen the form instead and pick your own dates
What a plan adds, and the limits

Same cities on real dates, plus what one search cannot show: layovers long enough to count as a free city, two tickets that beat one, and cheaper days either side. No account and no card.

Without an account, 2 trips a day per address, priced from cached fares and the free sources, so some legs may be estimates and the plan says which. Signed in, your first trip also searches Google Flights live, and you can change your trips afterwards.