Manchester to San Francisco Flights

  About Manchester

After London, Manchester is the second most important city in England. The city boasts a rich industrial history since the 18th century and continues to flourish as a textile fortitude. The city also hosts a good footfall of tourist crowd thanks to its association with the football club Manchester United as well as Manchester City. Aside from the same, the city also has a slew of museums that bring back ancient history. There are traditional museums as well as interactive ones that continue to engage the tourists.

Manchester enjoys a good population as well as a thriving food and drinks culture. The city is bombarded with lovely distilleries and food joints too, which further elevate a tourist's experience. Plus, it is well-connected with the rest of the UK. The city's charm comes from its lush green expanses, and even though the weather could be a little too cold, the experience of being in Manchester is worth all the frostbites.

Best time to visit Manchester

Manchester is its best between June to August, especially if you're planning a fun trip. Although Manchester is predominantly a cold city with barely good sunlight to keep people's spirits up. However, between June and August, when the city witnesses lovely sun's rays and summer heat, there is a vibrant vibe that envelopes the spirit of Manchester. In fact, even the city calendar is packed with intriguing events. Festivals such as Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, Parklife Festival, Manchester Pride, RHS Flower Festival are some of the fun events that take place. Many performers and musicians flock over to participate while the markets are erected to attract tourists. Although the temperatures are a decent 18 degree Celsius to 20 degree Celsius, it is pleasant and beautiful. Just make sure to carry an umbrella during your trip as the city might see some erratic showers amid summer. Since it is the peak season, it is highly recommended that you make your hotel reservations in advance. Booking a hotel in Manchester a few months before the peak season is the only way to gain some great deals.

It's easier to get flight tickets to Manchester for cheap too, provided you book a few months in advance. Another highlight of Manchester that should be mentioned is the football season that kicks off from August. If catching a match of your favourite (well, everybody's favourite), FC Manchester United is on your list of things to do, this is definitely a good time. Make sure that you have prior flight tickets to Manchester booked to avoid complications later. The months from September through December is also favourable in terms of the weather. Even though the fall is quite cold in Manchester, the fervour of football season that starts from September and continues through these months is enough to keep you fuelled. Plus, the city also honours its culture with festivals such as Manchester Food and Drink Festival, Manchester Literature Festival and of course, Manchester Christmas Markets.

Places to visit in Manchester

For a football fan, Manchester is like a haven, especially if you're a fan of either FC Manchester United or FC Manchester City. For United fans, at the Old Trafford, you'll find fervent fans sharing the same enthusiasm towards the team and their game. It will surely be the icing on the cake if you can watch a United match which you're at the stadium. As for City fans, the Etihad Stadium would give the same zealous vibe. The stadium is known to be one of the UK's biggest stadiums with a massive capacity of 55,000 seats for fervent spectators. From here, you will be thrilled to visit the National Football Museum, which is a six-storey glass structure that celebrates the sport and exhibits a plethora of collections from whatever has been retrieved. From trophies to exhibits on stadiums, there are many interesting collections that will marvel you. Once the football fanfare subsides, you might want to check out some of the other tourist attractions in Manchester. These include The Lowry (an amalgam of art gallery and theatre), Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester Museum, Whitworth Art Gallery, People's History Museum, Museum of Transport, to name a few.

Things to do in Manchester

The first and foremost thing for you to do in Manchester after all the sightseeing would be to indulge in some brewery and distillery hopping. Manchester has a plethora of options where you can hang out and enjoy the food and liquor culture. Chinatown is the second-best place to be in to explore more in the said zone. You will be amazed by the lively atmosphere of the streets here. John Rylands Library is another amazing place where you can get lost amid books and documents. They are interesting and will keep you engaged with their compelling collection. A fun and satiating retail therapy at Afflecks is also something that would be of interest to you. You can also opt for a Manchester Hop-On bus tour to sightsee some more of the locales and interact with fellow tourists.

Food and Restaurants in Manchester

Manchester's food culture is quite thriving and something worth indulging in, when in the city. their food halls and market places are a trip that will pique your interest. In fact, you should head to Altrincham Market to get the best of food hall experiences. At Altrincham, you can find some amazing purveyors. You can further elevate your experience at the GRUB Food Fair where you will be blessed with some eccentric but astounding street food as well as craft beer. During your food excursion, do not miss out The Corn Exchange. The establishment basically holds multitudes of restaurants from around the world. The city also has lip-smacking Indian cuisine that you simply cannot miss. Manchester has a soft spot for Indian curry and delicacies and celebrates the same. Curry Mile is one such place where you will find the highest cluster of Asian restaurants. It is for being one of the only places in all of the United Kingdom to have so many Asian establishments concentrated in one spot.

Further in your food expedition, get yourself some lovely pints of beer at The Oakfield, located in Chester Zoo. You should also visit The Eagle Inn, situated in Salford, where they make delicious craft beer. It is close to the Victoria train station, so your transport after some drinks is also quite sorted. While these are basic bars and British pubs, for a posh experience, check out Cloud 23, located at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate. It has the city's coolest view as it sits on the 23rd floor of the Hilton hotel. The place offers appetizers and finger food that go well with alcohol. Manchester has nearly 30 breweries so you can imagine the number of places you need to check off your list to cover them. As an expansion to your brewery-hopping expedition, you can check out Dunham Massey Brewing Company and Martland Mill Brewery. For some British feels interspersed with international cuisine, head to The Laundrette Chorlton. As for some tasty steak, visit Dakota Bar and Grill. The city also has seafood kitchens that would add to your food experiences. The Hip Hop Chip Shop is one such place to serve the classic fish and chips with good beer.

How to reach Manchester (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to Manchester from India is excellent with a lew of flights flying regularly. After London, Manchester is the second city in the UK that sees a high demand from India. Metropolitan Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore have regular flights to Manchester. Although usually, there are regular direct flights reaching Manchester from India, sometimes due to their unavailability, connecting flights are considered. There are connecting flights from London to Manchester, which is quite convenient. Many people tend to take direct flights to London, and from here, they opt for rental cars or other local transport. Manchester Airport has great connectivity to the city as there are express trains networking between the airport and the city. Aside from London, many also choose to fly to Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and take a taxi cab from there to reach Manchester. These methods are usually taken up by budget-travellers. Some of the airlines that fly from India to Manchester include British Airways, Thomas Chook Airlines, Condor and Thomson Airways.

These flights to Manchester usually take the popular air route via Europe to reach the city. Since that is the most viable option, plus comes with airports where you can acquire connecting flights. Cities such as Paris, Munich, Zurich, Dubai, etc., have flights connecting to Manchester or London. The accommodation options in Manchester are extravagant. If you do want to experience the fancy living, you should book your hotels in one of Manchester's swanky choices such as Crowne Plaza Hotel or The Edwardian Manchester, a Radisson Collection Hotel, to name a few. You will be overwhelmed and amazed by the exquisite rooms and their services. They don't come cheap though so booking hotels in Manchester way before the trip would be ideal.

  About San Francisco

Located on the coast of Northern California is the culturally rich city of San Francisco. The city has been christened with an array of colloquial names such as SF, The City, San Fran and Frisco. The city is a cultural haven and also the commercial and financial hub of Northern California. With attractions such as Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge, the city of San Francisco is one of the best in the United States as a tourist destination.

Best time to visit San Francisco

March through May can be quite the time to visit San Francisco if you wish to avoid the tourist rush. The temperatures are quite comfortable as they range between 10 degree Celsius to 17 degree Celsius. With the temperatures slowly inching towards summer, it is definitely an excellent time to visit San Francisco. This doesn't mean you will get to take a dip in the Pacific. However, you can still take lovely strolls within the city and savour all the beautiful locales of San Francisco. Plus, these months come with exciting festivals such as San Francisco International Film Festival, Carnaval San Francisco, Bay to Breakers, International Beer Festival and St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival.

Summers start from June through August. Tourism is at its peak with many folks flocking over to the city from various parts of the country and worldwide. The summer temperatures range from 11 degree Celsius to 20 degree Celsius. It is perfect to put on your swimming trunks and head straight to the ocean. The hotel rates do get high in San Francisco as it is peak season. For budget-travellers, this might not be the best time to visit the port city. To ensure that you do find a decent accommodation, you can make prior hotel bookings in San Francisco and let the rest follow. Even the flight tickets to San Francisco sees a surge. Not to mention how the city beams with joy to be entertained by a bevy of festivals such as North Beach Festival, Outside Land Music Festival, San Francisco Pride and more.

Fall is undoubtedly the perfect time to visit if you want to enjoy the warm temperatures and to get a good flight and hotel deals in San Francisco. The fall is warmer than summer, and the temperature is comfortably ranging from 12 degree Celsius to 21 degree Celsius. The sunny skies do feel good on the skin, and the brisk breeze is perfect to have a good time. Plus, the flight tickets and hotel bookings in San Francisco are also cheap and easy on the pockets. You will thoroughly have a good time during your trip to the city. Not to mention how there are some festivals too hosted by the city such as the San Francisco Fringe Festival, Castro Street Fair and Treasure Island Music Festival. You will have to pack your clothes that fit the weather's features. A little layer in terms of clothing would do you good. Try to avoid winters in San Francisco. Even though the hotel prices in San Francisco are cheap, the weather might be unfavourable for tourist activities.

Places to see in San Francisco

San Francisco might be a small city in terms of area, but with the packed tourist attractions, food and living culture and much more, it's tourism easily skyrockets. The assortment of outdoor activities that the city has to offer is mind-blowing. The first thing for you to do in San Francisco as part of your tourist endeavour would be to visit the Golden Gate Bridge. The legendary bridge cannot be missed for the view it offers as it faces the San Francisco Bay. The structure was originally constructed to bridge the gap between San Francisco and Marin County. Of course, Alcatraz Island is also a trip that you shouldn't miss. You will need to take a ferry ride to reach the island of Alcatraz, known for its reputation as a federal prison which housed some of the biggest offenders in the US history. They also had mob boss Al Capone in custody at Alcatraz.

Fisherman's Wharf is another lovely place that would be a fun expedition. The pier is often crowded with tourists as it has a slew of interesting attractions such as San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park as well as the Maritime Museum. More places that should be on your list include Lands End, Muir Woods National Monument, Ferry Building Marketplace, The Castro, Yerba Buena Gardens and more.

Things to do in San Francisco

The best part about a trip to San Francisco is the covey of cool activities that can be undertaken. Right from climbing the popular Twin Peaks to riding the cable cars, you have a lot of interesting things you can take up. In fact, divulging in their food culture would be the best of things to do when in San Francisco.

Food and Restaurants in San Francisco

San Francisco's casual lifestyle brings forth a lovely melange of cuisines and flavours that range from budget to upscale. Thanks to the perfect balance of cuisines and Michelin-starred food establishments, the city has easily turned into one of the best food destinations of the US. It is easily one of the most recognised cities in the country with exquisite food. There are quaint coffee shops, steakhouses, Italian trattorias and of course, Chinatown too. You name a cuisine, and San Francisco has it for you. Their commitment towards encouraging diversity in international cuisine is what makes their food culture so popular. You will be surprised to know that the Bay Area alone has over 50 farmers market experiences in store for you. You should definitely visit the farm-to-table styled food establishment called Chez Panisse. The place brings out flavours with fresh ingredients that would certainly go down well with your system. You should also check out the Ferry Building Marketplace. There are many culinary treats that you will be able to find here.

It will take you more than one trip to San Francisco to cover up all the food establishments in the city. Some of the classics include Boudin's, which has clam chowder as its big seller. You should also visit Tartine Bakery to relish some sweet treats. Speaking of the same, you should also check out Bi-Rite Creamery. The ice cream parlour manages to bring forth some exquisite sweet flavours in a cup with sprinklers and other fun toppings. Golden Gate Bakery is another good establishment for sweet and savoury food. They are known for their egg tarts in the city. Geoff of Ichido is also a good place where you can indulge in some Japanese and Asian seafood. Know that the city is on the Pacific coast and hence, has seafood as its top big seller. At the cafe De Casa, you can revel in some exquisite Brazillian cuisine. At Tacorea, you can find a good array of Mexican dishes. As stated, the city has an array of international cuisine, including Greek and Mediterranean. You can actually find this at the Kokkari Estiatorio. Of course, do not miss their breweries and roasteries at Anchor Brewing Company and Philz Coffee respectively.

How to reach San Francisco (Transportation)

San Francisco has brilliant flight connectivity. In fact, the city does see a lot of demand from Indians as it does have some of the finest universities, including UC Berkeley. Flight connectivity to San Francisco from major Indian metropolitan cities is immaculate. Although there are no direct flights to San Francisco from India, they usually have layovers in international cities. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Lufthansa, Swiss, to name a few, have dedicated flights flying to San Francisco. The most popular route chosen to fly to San Francisco from India is from cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong. In fact, Cathay Pacific is the most popular airline to take this international route to San Francisco. The flight is perfectly connected to San Francisco and reaches the city in close to 21 hours. Singapore Airlines also has excellent connectivity and stops at Singapore to reach San Francisco. For this route though, you will need a transit visa.

With Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, you wouldn't have to worry about changing flights in international cities. In fact, the flight simply has layovers in these cities before reaching the destination. Other airlines mentioned also have flights that directly connect to San Francisco with layovers in their respective cities. The flight tickets to San Francisco are quite reasonable. If you do make prior flight bookings to San Francisco, you might be able to get some discounts. There are innumerable online flight deals to San Francisco that you might be able to avail. Depending on the airlines you choose, the ticket price to San Francisco might vary. It would be best to book your flight and hotels in advance. Often it is recommended that you book your flight and hotels in San Francisco together. When you combine the two bookings, you might be in for some fantastic online deals. Even airlines have their own flight deals to San Francisco that you can avail.

  About San Francisco Airport

San Francisco International Airport is located in the San Mateo County of California. It is 21 km away from downtown San Francisco and is located close to San Bruno. The international airport is one of the major getaways for airlines connecting Europe and Asia. After Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport is the second busiest airport in California. The airport is also recognised to be the largest in the Bay Area. It stands at the 24th level on the global list of busiest airports. San Francisco International Airport is also the fifth-largest hub for United Airlines. It operates as a transpacific getaway to the country. The second big airlines that it serves base to is Alaska Airlines. Much recently, the airport started serving Virgin America airlines as the base for operations. The airport has four runways made of asphalt and is arranged in parallel intersections. It has been recorded that SFO witnesses about 1,287 flight operations in a day with approximately 470,164 taking place in a year.

About Airport Terminals

San Francisco International Airport has four functioning terminals namely, 1, 2, 3 and international. These are followed by seven concourses of boarding areas and has 115 gates in total. Terminal 1 caters to boarding areas arranged in alphabetical orders of B and D. Terminal 2 accommodates boarding area D and Terminal 3 takes care of boarding areas E and F. This terminal also handles operations of domestic flights. Meanwhile, the international terminal has boarding A and G with the majority of international flight operations along with a handful of domestic flights. Terminal 1 is also referred to as Harvey Milk Terminal 1 which works predominantly for domestic flight operations. Terminal 2 also caters to domestic flights and hosts airlines such as Virgin America and American Airlines. Terminal 2 has been constructed to cater to sustainability. It is considered to be eco-friendly with respect to paper ticketing and parking bays. Level 2 is reserved for domestic boarding and is in area D. Terminal 3 is also domestic but is directly connected to the International Terminal. It has exclusive functions of inbound and outbound flights by United Airlines and flies within the US. International Terminal is divided into level 2 for arrival and baggage claim and level 3 for departures. Level 2 also has check-in and boarding area.

About Airport Authority

Despite its location in the San Mateo County, San Francisco International Airport is owned and managed by the City and County of San Francisco. The airport is an enterprise that falls under the wing of City and County of San Francisco which strives to bring about a safe and secure travel expedition. The management is responsible for the expansion and infrastructural design and development of San Francisco International Airport. The airport authority recently announced plans to switch to sustainable fuels and have already signed agreements with agencies, fuel suppliers and airlines to enable the same. Following the same, the agreement brought together Shell and NkyNGR to supply sustainable fuels for aviation to KLM, Finnair and SAS flights that operate out of San Francisco International Airport. The airport's body has also been working on enhancing the runway structures' sturdiness as well as that of the terminals and buildings to withstand natural calamities, following an earthquake that took place in the county. Plans to expand Terminal 1 is also being conducted and is scheduled to complete by 2024.

Top airlines flying from San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport has only one Indian airline that operates from the city, Air India. Besides this, the rest of the airlines that operate from the airport are mostly international airlines. The airlines are well-connected to Europe and Asian continents. The domestic connectivity of SFO Airport is also quite good as it reaches almost all cities of the United States. The international airlines operating from San Francisco International Airport are Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Fiji Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. The airport also accommodates a decent number of cargo planes to operate from the vicinity. Carriers such as Asiana Cargo, DHL Aviation, FedEx Express, Korean Air Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines are some of the few prominent ones.

Facilities at the San Francisco International Airport

Airport Butler - Airport Butler is a customised concierge service that is available at the airport. You can avail these services as they include assistance with respect to check-in, personal shopping, translations for non-English speaking travellers, lounge reservations, business services and more. You can make prior bookings and customise the necessities that you might need.

In-transit hotel - The airport actually has a luxury hotel present in the proximity of the airport's terminals. With the views of the Bay, the rooms at SFO's Grand Hyatt are beautiful and accessible. You can take the AirTrain to reach the hotel from the airport. The features of the hotel cater to upscaled hospitality.

Medical services - There are dedicated pharmacies and medical rooms at the San Francisco International Airport. The medical rooms with professionals are stationed for emergency cases that would happen at the terminals. You can also make last-minute medical purchases at the airport pharmacy.

Pets and service animals - Travellers who are travelling with pets can avail some services as well. There are reserved areas where the pet can do their business. There are some experts at the airport too who can help you with your pet.

Spas and showers - There is accommodation for luxury services such as spas and showers. You might have to pay some nominal fee before you can get hold of the services. You can use the showers to refresh yourself if you need to go for a professional meeting. There are spas too where you can get a good massage.

A travel agency - There are specific travel agency booths that are present at the San Francisco International Airport. In case there are any last-minute bookings that you need to make, you can directly head to the airport. You can get your complete travel itinerary sorted along with accommodation bookings.

Yoga Room - San Francisco International Airport is the first airport in the world to have a Yoga Room. The room is located in terminal 2, and you can indulge in yoga while you wait for the connecting flight or for the layover period to be over.

SFO museum - The San Francisco International Airport has a museum and a few galleries installed for travellers' entertainment. There are public art, photography exhibits, student art and video arts that can be found at the San Francisco Museum.

AMTs and currency exchange - The airport has ATM kiosks located at convenient spots. The terminals also have a foreign exchange booth at the departure zones and arrivals. It would be very convenient for international travellers.

Airport lounges – The airport also caters to a slew of lounges located at various departure zones of all the terminals. There are first-class and business-class lounges for travellers holding the respective flight tickets. The airport also has a VIP lounge, meeting rooms and other spaces where one can avail luxury services and hospitality.

WiFi and internet – The airport provides free WiFi services for travellers. You can visit the information desk to get more details on how you can procure the service. Not to mention how the airport also has internet cafes where you can get your work done.

How to reach San Francisco International Airport

Bus

SamTrans, a transit agency of San Mateo County, has dedicated buses that connect to the San Francisco International Airport. You will have to check out their schedules and the routes to know which ones would reach you to the SFO Airport. They can be accessed from the arrivals or baggage counter of the airport.

Car and rentals

The airport sees good connectivity by road, and you can always use rentals or taxis to reach the San Francisco International Airport. You can actually find booths and counters to book transport from the airport itself. Apps such as Lyft and Uber are also available and would be perfect to use when at the airport terminal's arrival section. If you are driving down to SFO Airport, you should opt for the short freeway that links the US 101 with Interstate 280. As the airport is on the US Route 101, this is the most favourable route to reach the San Francisco International Airport. The airport also has short term and long term parking facilities available, in case you plan to do on a day tour.

Ferry

A favourable way to reach the San Francisco International Airport is to take the ferry. From the San Francisco Bay, there are ferry services that go to Oakland and Alameda. You can reach the ferry by taking SFO Airport's shuttle bus services. This can be found at the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal.