Bay Area flight deals radar: Taipei $795, Guangzhou $884, and OAK–LAX from $136 (2026)

The freshest checks are United’s SFO–Taipei at $795 round trip and Asiana’s SFO–Guangzhou at $884 round trip, both posted on September 5–6. The best newly verified domestic price is Southwest’s OAK–LAX from $136 one way on several late-September and October dates. American’s SJC–Auckland fare starts at $812, but the $1,013 Regular fare buys a checked bag and the flexibility that the Basic fare removes. 1 2 3 4

The Flight Deal says a posted fare is likely to disappear after two days. Treat the September 5–6 fares as check today, and treat older September 2–4 posts as reprice-first leads. The September Flying Blue window has one extra clock: awards booked by September 7 keep the current fare conditions before the September 8 Light/Standard/Flex change described by Prince of Travel. 5 6

Fare board

Route and airline	Price	Travel dates or window	Status today	Comparison anchor
SFO–Taipei, United	$795 round trip	Sample Jan. 22–29, 2027; Jan.–mid-May 2027	Check today; Sep. 5 post	Two checked bags included; no historical baseline published 1
SFO–Guangzhou, Asiana	$884 round trip	Sample Nov. 11–19; through early Dec. or Jan.–early May 2027	Check today; Sep. 6 post	Matrix comparison not stated; no historical baseline published 2
OAK–LAX, Southwest	From $136 one way	$136 on Sep. 28–30 and Oct. 1–3, among other dates	Live route snapshot; fares seen within 24 hours	September calendar ranges from $185 to $355 on other dates 3
SJC–Auckland, American	$812 Basic / $1,013 Regular round trip	Sample Jan. 26–Feb. 3, 2027; late Oct.–early Nov. or late Jan.–mid-March	Reprice first; Sep. 2 post	$201 buys one checked bag, seat assignment, and Regular rules 4
SFO–Chennai, Singapore Airlines	$774 round trip	Sample Feb. 1–8, 2027; late Jan.–mid-Feb. 2027	Reprice first; Sep. 5 post	$20 below the source’s $794 Matrix price 7
SFO–Seattle, Delta	$97 Basic / $177 Regular round trip	Sample Oct. 1–4; Oct.–Dec. or Jan.–early March 2027	Reprice first; Sep. 4 post	$80 is the fare-family gap; Regular includes a normal carry-on and seat assignment 8

The dated fares above came from The Flight Deal’s San Francisco feed and detail pages. Matrix prices are live search comparisons from the moment of the source check; they are useful anchors, while a historical normal-price average remains unavailable for these posts. Southwest’s OAK figure is a first-party route-page snapshot rather than a newly announced sale. 3 5

Check today: SFO–Taipei at $795

United’s September 5 post lists $795 round trip in K class from SFO to Taipei and back. The sample dates are January 22–29, 2027, with broader availability from January through mid-May 2027. The source requires purchase at least three days before departure and gives United’s direct booking path after the Matrix search. 1

The fare is Regular Economy with two checked bags included. The source also lists two permitted stopovers at $100 each, 12,906 flown miles, $696 in Elite Qualifying Dollars, and 2,088 redeemable miles. The page does not list a separate change or cancellation rule, so confirm those terms in United’s checkout flow before payment. 1

Search SFO–TPE in Matrix with United as the carrier, then price the same dates on United. The fare’s strongest point is the two-bag allowance: a cheaper Basic or mixed-carrier itinerary should be compared against the cost of two checked bags before it earns the label “cheaper.” U.S. citizens do not need a visa for Taiwan according to the source; other passport holders should check their own entry rules. 1

Check today: SFO–Guangzhou at $884

Asiana’s September 6 post lists $884 round trip in W class from SFO through Seoul to Guangzhou and back. The sample dates are November 11–19, with additional travel through early December and from January through early May 2027. The source requires purchase at least three days before departure and says availability is limited. 2

The routing is SFO–ICN–CAN–ICN–SFO, and stopovers are prohibited. The source calculates 13,774 flown miles and 3,443 redeemable United miles. U.S. citizens need a visa before arrival in China, so the fare only becomes actionable after the visa timeline fits the travel dates. 2

The post supplies no historical normal-price comparison and no detailed baggage, change, or cancellation terms. Search the Matrix routing first, then confirm the final W-class fare, baggage allowance, and refund or change conditions at the booking page. The source points readers to Priceline for purchase; compare the final total against Asiana or another authorized seller before paying. 2

OAK finally has a bookable first-party snapshot

Southwest’s OAK–LAX route page shows Basic one-way fares from $136 on September 28–30 and October 1–3, with $136 also displayed for several later dates. The September calendar rises to $355 on September 7–8, then steps down through $310, $245, $185, $148, and $136 as the dates move later in the month. The page says the displayed fares were collected within the previous 24 hours and may disappear before booking. 3

Southwest labels the displayed fare Basic and says optional fees may apply. The route page also says the itinerary can be changed with no change fee, although a fare difference may apply. The page gives an average flight time of one hour and 26 minutes and lists nonstop service. 3

This is the first independently verifiable OAK opportunity in the recent scans, but the page is a live route snapshot rather than proof of a new promotion. Open the route page, choose the exact date, and price bags and other optional products before comparing OAK with SFO or SJC. The page supplies a current date-by-date comparison, while it supplies no long-run normal-price baseline. 3

SJC–Auckland: the $201 fare-family decision

American’s September 2 post lists $812 Basic Economy or $1,013 Regular Economy round trip from SJC to Auckland. The sample dates are January 26–February 3, 2027, with additional windows in late October–early November and late January–mid-March. The source requires purchase at least three days before departure. 4

The $1,013 Regular fare includes one checked bag, advance seat assignment, and a normal-size carry-on. The $812 Basic fare removes advance seat assignment, changes, mileage earning, and cancellation value after the 24-hour risk-free period. The $201 upgrade is the useful comparison here: a traveler checking a bag or needing a usable cancellation option should price Regular first. 4

The route connects through Dallas, allows no stopovers, and uses B class for Basic and O class for Regular. The source lists 17,756 flown miles and 4,255 redeemable miles. U.S. citizens need a New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority before entry. 4

The post is five days old, so use it as a lead rather than as held inventory. Search SJC–AKL with American in Matrix, then reprice both fare families on American. The page gives no historical normal-price baseline and no exact current change fee, so the checkout screen decides whether the $812 version remains useful. 4

Two older SFO leads still deserve a quick reprice

Singapore Airlines’ September 5 post lists SFO–Chennai at $774 round trip in K class, routed through Singapore. The sample dates are February 1–8, 2027, and the stated window runs from late January through mid-February with a Sunday stay. Matrix priced the same search at $794, giving the posted fare a current $20 comparison edge. The fare requires purchase at least 14 days before departure. 7

The fare allows three $50 stopovers and lists 20,502 flown miles. The source gives no detailed baggage or change terms and says U.S. citizens need an Indian visa before arrival. Reprice the Singapore itinerary before using the $20 figure; the Matrix number is a live comparison from the source’s check, not a historical average. 7

Delta’s September 4 Shorthaul post lists SFO–Seattle at $97 Basic or $177 Regular round trip. The sample dates are October 1–4, and the wider window runs from October through December or January through early March 2027. The source requires purchase at least 14 days before departure. 8

Delta’s Regular fare includes advance seat assignment and a normal-size carry-on. Basic removes seat assignment, changes, cancellations, and mileage earning. The $80 difference is therefore the cleanest comparison: travelers who need a seat or flexibility should treat $177 as the usable price, while travelers packing light and accepting the restrictions can test the $97 fare. 8

Points: book Flying Blue before the fare rules change

September’s Flying Blue Promo Rewards include Europe–San Francisco in Premium Economy for 30,000 miles on Air France or KLM. The September batch must be booked by September 30, 2026, and travel can run through February 28, 2027. The award is inbound to SFO, so it helps a Bay Area traveler returning from Europe rather than proving an SFO-originating outbound award. Taxes, fees, and the actual award seat still need to be checked in Flying Blue. 6

September 8 is the immediate decision point. Prince of Travel says Air France and KLM awards will split into Light, Standard, and Flex fares, with Promo Rewards expected to move into the branded structure. Awards issued before September 8 keep the current conditions described on the page, including a checked bag and the ability to change or cancel for a fee. Search the exact Europe–SFO itinerary now if the dates are firm; book only after the mileage price, taxes, operating carrier, and seat are visible. 6

The current transfer-bonus table also lists these deadlines:

Citi ThankYou → Leading Hotels of the World: 25% through September 19. This is a hotel transfer, so it belongs in the travel budget only with a specific eligible stay already priced. 9
Amex Membership Rewards → British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus Avios: 30% through September 27. Search the exact award first; Avios can be relevant for short-haul positioning or partner awards, but the bonus itself creates no seat. 9
Chase Ultimate Rewards → Air Canada Aeroplan: 20% through September 30. This is the most directly relevant airline transfer on the table for Star Alliance options such as United or Asiana, but award space and taxes must be visible before transfer. 9
Rove Miles → Copa ConnectMiles: 40% through September 30; Capital One → Japan Airlines Mileage Bank: 30% through September 30. Both require a specific award plan before moving points. 9
Amex Membership Rewards → Hilton: 30% through October 14. Use the bonus only against a specific Hilton redemption whose points price beats the cash alternative. 9

Frequent Miler explicitly advises transferring only when a specific high-value use exists. For every transfer above, verify the award seat, final mileage price, taxes, fees, operating carrier, and cancellation terms first. 9

What this scan confirms—and where the baseline stops

This week’s new route-page path produced a qualifying OAK fare from Southwest: OAK–LAX at $136 one way on multiple dates. The page gives a current price and collection age, so OAK has a usable lead today. The page does not establish a historical normal fare or a new promotional campaign. 3

The dated international posts supply fare prices, dates, fare classes, routing, and several important restrictions. Most pages leave historical normal-price baselines and complete change or baggage terms to the booking engine. The fare board therefore separates a source’s Matrix comparison, a fare-family price gap, and a current airline route snapshot from a long-run average. 1 2 4

Book today in this order

Search United SFO–Taipei first. Confirm the $795 fare, two checked bags, K class, and the January–May 2027 dates on United.
Search Asiana SFO–Guangzhou next. Confirm W class, the November or 2027 calendar, baggage, and the China visa timeline before paying.
Open Southwest’s OAK–LAX page. Test September 28–30 and October 1–3 at the displayed $136 Basic fare, then add optional fees.
Check Flying Blue Europe–SFO before September 8 if the itinerary is ready. The September award runs through September 30 for booking, but the fare-family change arrives tomorrow.
Reprice SJC–Auckland in both fare families. Use $812 only when the restrictions fit; use $1,013 when a checked bag and a seat matter.
Finish with Chennai and Seattle. The Singapore fare has a $20 Matrix comparison edge, and the Delta fare has an $80 Basic-to-Regular gap. Transfer points only after the award seat and total taxes are visible.