$58 Find Cheap Flights from Detroit to California

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Detroit to California departing on 2/21. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Detroit to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Detroit to California.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Detroit to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$185
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$286
San Diego
San Diego2 stops$207
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$200
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$257
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$329
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$298
Arcata
Arcata2 stops$394
Redding
Redding1 stop$418
Merced
Merced1 stop$495
Reno
Reno1 stop$208
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$223
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$185
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$286
San Diego
San Diego2 stops$207
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$200
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$257
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$329
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$298
Arcata
Arcata2 stops$394
Redding
Redding1 stop$418
Merced
Merced1 stop$495
Reno
Reno1 stop$208
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$223

Book Cheap Detroit to California Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Detroit to California that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Detroit to California

Wed, Feb 18 - Tue, Feb 24
Frontier Logo
8:30 am - 9:34 pm
DTW
-
ONT
16h 04m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:35 am - 11:55 pm
ONT
-
DTW
12h 20m
1 stop
$126Frontier
Wed, Feb 25 - Tue, Mar 3
Frontier Logo
8:30 am - 9:34 pm
DTW
-
ONT
16h 04m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:40 am - 11:55 pm
ONT
-
DTW
12h 15m
1 stop
$128Frontier
Wed, Feb 18 - Wed, Feb 25
Frontier Logo
8:30 am - 9:34 pm
DTW
-
ONT
16h 04m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:40 am - 11:40 pm
ONT
-
DTW
12h 00m
1 stop
$140Frontier
Tue, Mar 10 - Thu, Mar 12
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:01 am - 12:25 pm
DTW
-
SNA
6h 24m
1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
4:37 pm - 4:35 am
SNA
-
DTW
8h 58m
1 stop
$142Spirit Airlines
Sat, Feb 14 - Wed, Feb 18
Spirit Airlines Logo
7:15 pm - 8:53 pm
DTW
-
LAS
4h 38mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:35 pm - 4:30 am
LAS
-
DTW
3h 55mnonstop
$152Spirit Airlines
Tue, Feb 17 - Tue, Feb 24
United Airlines Logo
4:43 pm - 8:48 pm
DTW
-
PSP
7h 05m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 5:25 pm
PSP
-
DTW
7h 25m
1 stop
$257United Airlines
Sat, Feb 21 - Tue, Feb 24
United Airlines Logo
10:28 am - 5:17 pm
DTW
-
PSP
9h 49m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
5:15 am - 2:55 pm
PSP
-
DTW
6h 40m
1 stop
$262United Airlines
Mon, Mar 16 - Wed, Mar 25
Delta Logo
8:15 pm - 1:49 pm
DTW
-
PSP
20h 34m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:47 pm - 12:43 am
PSP
-
DTW
8h 56m
1 stop
$271Delta
Tue, Mar 17 - Thu, Mar 26
Delta Logo
5:46 pm - 9:35 pm
DTW
-
PSP
6h 49m
1 stop
Delta Logo
2:47 pm - 11:45 am
PSP
-
DTW
17h 58m
2 stops
$276Delta
Tue, Mar 3 - Wed, Mar 18
American Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 9:25 am
DTW
-
PSP
6h 40m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
12:31 pm - 12:36 am
PSP
-
DTW
9h 05m
2 stops
$280American Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Detroit to California flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Detroit to California to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to California from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport found in the last 72 hours was to Los Angeles, at $179 round-trip. The most popular route is from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $179.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $383, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California is February, when tickets cost $245 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are November and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $362 and $349 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Detroit to California?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to California on a Thursday and more expensive on a Sunday. On your return trip to Detroit, you should consider flying back on a Wednesday, and avoid Sundays for better deals.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to California, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 23% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonNovember
Cheapest flight$58
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 27% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 15% increase in price.
Flight from Detroit to San Diego

Flights from Detroit to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Detroit to California 
AngeliqueFlew with Spirit Airlines
DTW
-
LAX
Nov 2025
Know there is a shuttle to exit or get baggage
FelipeFlew with Delta
DTW
-
SAN
Jun 2024
Make sure you know where you are going it’s a big airport… if you fly delta you can ride the tram inside to get to your gate if it is far away.

FAQs - booking California flights

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Detroit to California?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Detroit to California.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Detroit to California?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Detroit to California is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Detroit to California?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly from Detroit to California with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Detroit to California?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying from Detroit to California up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to California?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally in the afternoon, when round-trip flights cost $260 on average. Morning departures are around 14% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $447.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Detroit to the following destinations at these prices or less: Las Vegas $130 one-way - $218 round-trip; Los Angeles $218 one-way - $268 round-trip

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Detroit to California

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Detroit to California. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Detroit to California? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 8089 reviews
7.2Food
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.8Entertainment
7.9Comfort
Airline reviews

I usually get upgraded so my experience is usually amazing. I did not get upgraded this time - which was fine - but the wifi had issues, the monitors were going in & out, & (though not Delta's fault) one of the gentlemen next to me desperately needed a shower.

4.0 OkayLauren, Jan 2026
ATL - SFO
Read more Delta reviews

I usually get upgraded so my experience is usually amazing. I did not get upgraded this time - which was fine - but the wifi had issues, the monitors were going in & out, & (though not Delta's fault) one of the gentlemen next to me desperately needed a shower.

I really liked the legroom. I am 6’4”.a at For some reason our seats were not together and using the app to fix it didn’t work. Passengers were nice enough to move for us but you should absolutely ensure a parent sits with their child.

DTW line is too long. The flights from DTW to BWI are always delayed for unknown reasons.

Flight was delayed several times. At one point, they "pulled back" 15 minutes from the delayed boarding and sent a text saying we would board sooner than previously advised. The flight then was delayed again. And when we boarded, there was an unspecified technical issue which had us waiting in the plane for about an hour.

Delta is a good airline. I've never had an issue with Delta. I'll continue to fly with them until they show me that I shouldn't.

Very good flight crew and very nice people staff were incredible especially the gate agent

Flight delays both to Detroits and return flight . The flight to Detroit was associated with mechanical difficulty

Great. I had to modify a flight. That was easy and free. Thank You

Left on time, a bit delayed due to headwinds most of the trip.

Staff were friendly and happy. Delta could make sure passengers that don't have the app know of changes. Without Kayak I would not have known about the change of gate or the delay. Kayak was faster to notify me.

Yet another flight in which beverage and snack service was skipped. Other that that, firmly mediocre. Landed early, to gate late due to congestion at the gates. Airline's fault or airports fault: unknown.

Teeny tiny bathrooms, crew was not realistic about when we'd arrive.

Unbelievably poor service from flight attendants. They didn’t even do water service on a four hour flight. Just disrespectful.

Flight was late - I was downgraded from first class to coach

United needs to step up their game. Delayed flight leaving Seattle, San Francisco. Older aircraft, not very comfortable.

Plane boarded early a quickly, was mostly full. We left close to on time. And landed early.

7 hours delayed due to operational issues on United’s end. Basically laziness.

Flight was timely, relatively comfortable, with decent entertainment and food served. Only problem encountered was with the free messaging which I highly appreciate, but it did not work from iphone to non-iphones.

The internet service I paid for didn’t work at all and the flight crew was not very friendly.

Subject: Formal Complaint: Discriminatory and Unprofessional Conduct – Request for Immediate Action & Compensation Dear [Airline Customer Relations Team], I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent travel experience with [Airline], which was by far the worst I have ever encountered. What occurred was not only unprofessional, but in several instances discriminatory, unsafe, and unacceptable. On the first leg of my trip, I arrived only four minutes past check-in. Instead of making any attempt to resolve the matter, your representative flatly denied me boarding and made me wait while she attended to passengers who arrived after me. By the time a manager intervened, it was too late to board, costing me time, money, and unnecessary frustration. The second leg of my trip (Chicago–San Francisco) raised even more serious concerns. From the outset, it was apparent that the staff—particularly two attendants—prioritized Caucasian passengers while dismissing African American and minority passengers. • When a Caucasian passenger in the exit row refused to comply with federal safety requirements, I, as a first responder, immediately offered to switch seats and assume the responsibility. My offer was blatantly ignored, and instead, a Caucasian passenger seated further up was chosen. This was discriminatory and deeply insulting, especially as I was actively de-escalating the situation that could have delayed the flight further. • During a lengthy tarmac delay of over 90 minutes, passengers were given conflicting and unreasonable instructions that created unnecessary distress and tension. • Throughout the flight, a visibly intoxicated passenger directly in front of me was disruptive, rude to others, failed to comply with seatbelt and electronic device rules, and yet faced no enforcement from the crew. In stark contrast, I was singled out for repeated compliance checks even though I was following every rule. This unequal treatment was so obvious that multiple passengers around me spoke up in my defense. This pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism, disregard for passenger safety, and discriminatory treatment. I expect far better from an airline of your stature. As a paying customer subjected to this unacceptable treatment, I am formally requesting: 1. A full investigation into the conduct of the staff on both flights. 2. A written apology acknowledging the discriminatory and unprofessional behavior I endured. 3. Appropriate compensation for the distress, inconvenience, and mishandling of my travel. If this matter is not addressed promptly and thoroughly, I will have no choice but to escalate my complaint further, including filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation and sharing my experience through other channels. I trust [Airline] will take this complaint seriously and provide a timely resolution.

It was a good trip. Flight Attendants were friendly and responsive.

Amazing I love American. I’ll never fly anyone else if I can help it.

Everything about the flight was lovely. My only suggestion would be to offer a few more options of tv series from Apple TV or HBO.

After the door had been closed, the cockpit makes an announcement that catering is running late and it is not the airline's fault. It is their fault in the sense that we had to sit for 2 hours or more when we could have stayed in the terminal. Poor communications between catering and airline. This caused a young man to lose his temper and he went storming out hitting objects. He had complained to the gate agent that he had already waited at the gate 7 hours and when can the airplane leave? Airilnes do a poor job of explaining delays, maintenance issues, etc. whereas being truthful may gain more sympathy or understanding.

We were told the flight was delayed 5 times, then it was moved to the next day.

The experience with American Airlines was good, although the Philippines Airlines flight was much better (better seats, better food, better entertainment options, overall better). Again, the MIA to LAX flight was fine, but nothing in comparison to the comfort and accommodations of the Philippines Airlines flight from LAX to MNL.

Loved the crew . Absolutely no complaints. Except for luggage lost

Wish some foods provided rather than just biscuit/cookie for flight more than 2 hours

We are too tired and frustrated to comment politely at this point

The flight crew was rude. We were in first class and no one even offered water until an hour after we were in the air. Horrible experience

Cheap, only one short delay. No issues despite bad weather. Able to take a big backpack for free.

Your flight crew and boarding area crew need to have microphone use training. They all hold the microphone right up to their mouths, way to close making understanding them almost impossible. The microphone should be held about 3 to 4 inches away from their mouths. This would provide for much better clarity through the PA system. ‘Eating the mic’ DOES NOT work.

Once again, the staff seem to think they are above the customers and treat everyone with disdain, belittling people.

Flight was canceled 8 hours before departure for lack of operational control and prepositioning of a plane. Then had the audacity to say it was because of weather, however there was no weather here in California or New Orleans or in between. It was the weather in Florida, Florida it had nothing to do with our flight path just the plane was supposed to fly us. 8 hours is more than enough time to move a plane anywhere in the US. That left me with a bill of 1200 dollars to re book a flight oh and kayaks insurance what a joke. Probably will never use kayak or spirit ever again terrible companies terrible customer service. I’ll also let everyone and anyone know this was an abomination and only for the customer. Also will be making a report to the DOT on bad business practices on behalf of kayak and spirit as well as the BBB. Do better, take care of your customers and don’t suck

Cancel the ticket on my day that I’m travelling that it was

The airplane had a strange noise that was constant throughout the flight. Thankfully I had noise-cancelling over-ear headphones that muted much of it.

it was terrible. flight was cancelled hours before the flight without a given reason and no other booking available .

Spirit cancelled my return flight the day before travel and so I had to book a last minute flight on American Airlines.

Flight was cancelled with no help From spirit or kayak. Please refund asap

Flight was cancelled 2.5 before departure without warning. Staff was rude and lied to us pre-security.

Good for a budget airline! It was easy to get on, staff was really nice. Can’t say anything about the food or entertainment because it wasn’t available, which is fine.

I am writing to express my disappointment with my recent Frontier Airlines flight. I was charged $99 at the gate because my bag was said to be too large, yet once onboard there was no available overhead bin space, and I was required to place the bag under the seat in front of me anyway. This made the charge feel unnecessary and unfair. Additionally, before the flight even took off, I was asked to move from the seat I paid for into a middle seat so another passenger and her cat could have my seat to themselves. I was not offered compensation or an explanation for being moved from a paid seat. Between the unexpected bag fee and being forced to give up my seat, this experience fell well below acceptable customer service standards. I would appreciate a review of this situation and appropriate compensation.

It was costly and difficult to check in. $85 to take a small suitcase with me, carry on or checked and $75 on the return trip, Plus $25 if I didn't check my self in check in $25, because I couldn't do it on the kiosk. Small very uncomfortable seats, waited on the runway for near an hour each way. It was my worst flight to date.

It was ok. It was expensive to check 2 bags ($75.00 per bag), and then it took a long time to wait for shuttle to take us from one terminal to the terminal where the plane was taking off at LAX. And all of this for a flight where we had to pay for any food or drink that was not water.

It didn’t happen. I booked it and then was told it wasn’t available and then forced to pay far higher prices for a worse option

A 630departure flight Delayed 6hours! They changed my gate, I moved to the new gate. Had our flight on the screen for 12noon departure. I go get above to eat, check screen again and the flight was gone, no notice no announcement, nothing!! They sent my bag on the flight I wasn’t on, got it back to me 3days later. Thank goodness they did refund my money but I will NEVER fly them again.

Due to weather, my flight was delayed, further delayed, then canceled. I eventually got through to a support person who helped me find a different route out of MSP, but to get to DIA, they didn't want to, but eventually did help with the connection ticket purchase. But even this replacement flight was delayed time and time again, and I would have missed my connecting flights and I didn't want to get stuck in a layover city, so after 12 hours at the airport with two young boys who were very tired, we just cancelled our plans and spent the week at home, instead of Nana's.

Plane and crew on board were fine. Everything else was terrible.

The third party booking with cheapflightsfares was awful. Kayak should NOT partner with them. They sold me a bundle including seat selection and carry-on, but did not book the carry-ons with Frontier, so I’m out of pocket for $414 more while I await resolution.

This company socks. It's fraud. They canceled our flight yesterday, and today we were late because of a really long line at the check in bag. At the rebook station, there was ton of people. The workers were all rude. I am gonna make a report to FTC.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Detroit to California

Information on your arrival and departure airports