$345 Find Cheap Flights from Europe to California

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Low seasonNovember
Cheapest flight$345
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 3% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 17% increase in price.
Flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles

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

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Europe to California 
ShengFlew with Aer Lingus
DUB
-
LAX
Jan 2026
Aer Lingus agent booked us a 1-stop reservation via Air Canada to replace our original 2nd leg flight to LAX. I was surprised to discover the new trip only has the 2nd part in the Air Canada system, 1 day before the departure time. I spoke to the ticketing agent again, who really made her efforts to confirm a new reservation for our big group of travelers. I was not happy about the surprise, which can be of a very rare situation, while at the same time I do appreciate the agent's effort to help us get back home ASAP. Lesson learned: even with a printed itinerary, you still need to double check on the carrier website to be sure.
ZeynepFlew with Scandinavian Airlines
CPH
-
SFO
Dec 2025
The lines are long. Make sure to get there at the recommended time
Verified travelerFlew with ITA Airways
FCO
-
LAX
Jan 2026
Be prepared for unintentional mistakes and rudeness due to the language barrier. If you’re on the taller, broader side, there will be 13 hours of discomfort with smaller seating and very tight bathrooms. The food is unsatisfactory so bring supplements.
PeteFlew with ITA Airways
FCO
-
SFO
Nov 2025
“Comfort economy” is worth it. Noise cancelling headphones/earbuds are important, along with an eye mask.
Verified travelerFlew with Iberia
MAD
-
LAX
Jun 2025
Arrive early to the airport, it takes a long time to check in and reach the boarding gates
MichelleFlew with Aer Lingus
DUB
-
SFO
May 2025
Make sure you arrive well ahead of the flight. We were lucky that security lines were pretty short but they could be very long and you do US customs and security in Dublin.
PatrickFlew with Lufthansa
MUC
-
LAX
May 2025
Arrive early. There are a lot of flights and a lot of steps before getting to your gate.
IanFlew with Iberia
BCN
-
LAX
Jan 2025
Be aware that checked in bags are EUR70 per bag. You can board the plane via stairs either at the front or back. I thought the experience was ok a 13 hour flight
Verified travelerFlew with SWISS
ZRH
-
LAX
Dec 2024
Don't pack too much, as the carry-on back size is smaller than most other airlines.
AlastairFlew with British Airways
LHR
-
SFO
Feb 2025
Make sure your free checked luggage is for outward and return flights.
Verified travelerFlew with British Airways
LHR
-
SAN
Sep 2024
Flight overall is good. Service is very good. Bring yourself some snacks, in case the food isn’t up to your taste.
Verified travelerFlew with SWISS
ZRH
-
LAX
Sep 2024
Have Swiss app it keeps you updated pretty instantly of any delays or gate changes
MeganFlew with Iberia
LHR
-
LAX
Sep 2024
Pack light and know you can always get stuff when you land.
NinaFlew with Aer Lingus
DUB
-
SFO
Nov 2024
Make sure you include extra time to pass through US Border Control if you’re flying to the US! Also Aer Lingus bag drop closes 75 mins before flight departure for long haul so bear that in mind!
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines
LHR
-
SFO
Sep 2024
Download all your music. Add shows and movies to your queue. Bring short so you can relax. Bring long charger cords.
PGFlew with Condor
FRA
-
LAX
Oct 2024
Make sure you have plenty of time to get through the Frankfurt Airport if you are flying internationally.
MajFlew with Scandinavian Airlines
CPH
-
LAX
Sep 2024
Bring snacks! Other than the 2x international meals, everything else is for purchase.
SunnyFlew with Turkish Airlines
IST
-
SFO
Nov 2024
Turkish lounge is so good, however receptionists are anything but receptive: they were inattentive and rude x 4 Airport is very large for a tight international transfer if inbound flight is 30 min late
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines
AMS
-
SFO
Jul 2024
Fly either Business class or Premium Plus. Realize Business is unaffordable for most but Premium Plus is worth the extra fee.
SimonFlew with British Airways
LHR
-
LAX
Jun 2024
If flying business class I’d research which cabin your aircraft operates. BA have some old business class on the 380 and new business class on the 777. (And 350). The new cabin is so much better. But the food just isn’t as good as it used to be
AmirFlew with TAP AIR PORTUGAL
LIS
-
SFO
Jul 2024
For any flight that's part of a Multi-City flight plan, don't miss it. Otherwise, all your remaining flights on that plan will be terminated.
KaraFlew with Scandinavian Airlines
CPH
-
LAX
Aug 2024
Make sure you request food restrictions! Otherwise they will make you purchase if you are unable to eat their free meal
GzimFlew with Lufthansa
MUC
-
SAN
Aug 2024
Buy your own food, choose seating where you have your own row or someone your flying with.
AmrFlew with United Airlines
MUC
-
LAX
Aug 2024
Boarding takes long time and traveling from T2 is far away from T1
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines
LHR
-
SFO
Mar 2024
Heathrow is vast, allow plenty of time to drop bags and go through security. At San Francisco the immigration takes a bit of time and we had to wait around 1.5hrs, bare this in mind when booking car rental. The is a shuttle train from the airport to the car rental area which is very slick and efficient.
HenryFlew with United Airlines
FRA
-
SFO
Apr 2024
connection took much longer than I expected; need 20 minutes between taking a shuttle bus and pass through custom before you get on your flight
Ana-MariaFlew with Iberia
LHR
-
SFO
Mar 2024
In London triple check your flight they have multiple leaving for the same destination once - it is easy to get them confused
Verified travelerFlew with British Airways
MAD
-
SFO
May 2024
Terminal 4 in Madrid is not well signed to tell where passengers need to go after each step. Planes are far from the Terminal. Baggage check in is slow.
Verified travelerFlew with Air Tahiti Nui
CDG
-
LAX
Jan 2024
Fly this airline. Get to LAX early. 4 hrs. Its jyst enough time.

FAQs for booking flights from Europe to California

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Europe 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 Europe to California.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Europe 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 Europe 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 Europe 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 Europe 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 Europe to California up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • Which airlines fly most frequently to California?

    Europe and California are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are American Airlines (92 flights per week), Iberia (87 flights per week), and United Airlines (85 flights per week).

  • How many airports are there in California?

    There are 29 airports in California. The busiest airport is Los Angeles Airport (LAX), with 38% of all flights arriving there.

  • Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in California?

    Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in California is San Francisco Airport (SFO), with an average flight price of $804.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to California?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to California is Thursday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $861. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Tuesday, where round-trip prices are $1,039 on average.

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

    The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $817 on average. Morning departures are around 100% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $963.

  • What is the cheapest flight to California?

    The cheapest ticket to California from Europe found in the last 72 hours was to San Francisco, at $399 round-trip. The most popular route is Amsterdam (AMS) to Los Angeles (LAX) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $502.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from Europe to California?

    The cheapest month for flights from Europe to California is February, when tickets cost $692 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are August and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,089 and $1,066 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from Europe to California?

    To get a below average price on the flight from Europe to California, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 28% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to California?

    From Europe, there are direct flights to California from 15 cities. The city with the most direct flights is London, with 687 direct flights each week.

  • How many direct flights to California are there each day?

    There are around 206 direct flights from within Europe to California every day. Most flights (55%) depart in the morning.

  • How many direct flights to California are there each week?

    Each week there are around 1,436 direct flights from within Europe to California. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 17% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to California?

    An average nonstop flight from Europe to California takes 13h 42m, covering a distance of 5690 miles. The shortest route is Amsterdam (AMS) to Las Vegas (LAS) with an average flight time of 10h 40m.

  • How many long-haul flights are there to California each week?

    There are not any medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) or short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to California. Instead, there are 1,436 long-haul flights (6-12 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from London.

  • What are the most popular destinations in California?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Los Angeles (43% of total searches to California). The next most popular destinations are San Francisco (20%) and Las Vegas (12%). Searches for flights to Ontario (10%), to Santa Ana (5%) and to Burbank (3%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Europe to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Europe 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.
7.4
United AirlinesOverall score based on 9150 reviews
8.1Crew
7.7Boarding
7.3Comfort
6.6Food
7.1Entertainment
Airline reviews

Both flights delayed. 2nd flight over 3 hours late mechanical issues

2.0 MediocreJose, Jan 2026
PVR - SFO
Read more United Airlines reviews

Both flights delayed. 2nd flight over 3 hours late mechanical issues

Flight was delayed 45 minutes because originating flight was coming from Newark. No complimentary snacks were offered on this 5+ hour flight. No screens for the flight, but movies offered if you had already downloaded the United app (which I hadn't on my ipad). No USB ports, only a flimsy plug-in port near the bottom of the seat that was hard to see and kept coming unplugged.

It was good but only meal served is very less. Meantime good to add rice and chicken in one of meal

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

On the way my flight entertainment wouldn’t work the screen went black and no matter how many times I tried to turn it on it wouldn’t. Food was surprisingly good but the tray tables were tiny so you couldn’t get anything else on the table. The seats hardly go back and are not overly comfortable. Wouldn’t fly United again.

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

Movie selection is good. Crew did not understand mileage program and were no help. Sick later. Food?

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

The flight attendants were very rude, beyond comprehension. I took a business class from London to SFO for the first time on United. When I asked for a second piece of bread during dinner, the serving attendant threw a 3rd bread on my plate and said, “here. You can have this one too”! I couldn’t believe the rudeness of the attendant. Most all attendants were very rude, unhelpful, sing the food was absolutely disgusting. Never fly United internationally in business class. My flight back to SFO was a nightmare!!

Requested food options were always finished. Supplied food items were good but of course not the desired choices.

The airport staff never announced that boarding has started. Both at iad or Islamabad or Istanbul.

Very bad experience with turkish airline tk 0001. Very uncomfortable seats and food ran out and crew was not helpful

The airline could improve its business class seats and privacy in line with its competitors.

To be prepared for being treated with disrespect by the ground crew.

Seats too much and for the price we paid eve thought economy we still had to pay $169 to check a ba that’s ridiculous and also my daughter needed water so she can take her medicine we push the boton for the attendant to get us water they never came we push it 3 times no one came and ask what we needed . Am not happy with the service at all I will not fly with TK anymore

Boarding experience was a mess- both to and from Istanbul airport. No one knew anything. They asked everyone to line up according to their sit numbers- it was unbelievable. Business class had a separate line, but it was hard to find- I had to go through all that mess before finding it. Would not recommend

Excellent food and service on my international flight. Most notable is the food provided by Turkish even for coach passengers is very good.

They can my date of travel and let me standard in Istanbul for three days stop over and only pay for one day in a hotel with only one breakfast for three days.

the flight was cancelled and I was rebooked twice, once 26 hours later, then another 24 hours later. In total the flight was delayed for 40 hours. Never again will I use kayak or Turkish Airlines for my travel.

Since our earlier flight was delayed, we missed this flight and were rerouted on Lufthansa 2 days later.

Scandinavian Airlines is terrible. Flight was late. Lost luggage. Rude flight attendants. Terrible experience.

The flight was very cold, and the seats were rather uncomfortable. The food has been better on our other SAS experiences. Most significantly, the luggage with most of my wife's personal items and clothes didn't make the flight. Hoping for a quick resolution, but no real opportunity to speak with a Human has us concerned.

Ancient aircraft (busted armrests, poor cabin temperature with no option for passenger control). Garbage everywhere. Risible checking of safely conditions on landing. Also, late.

Amazing! Everyone was so nice and the food was so good!!

Feels like economy sits are getting smaller especially while eating food

I was surprised how good an American airline can be - I was really impressed.

Cut out the nickel and dime pricing for "seat selection" and baggage, To do this on an international flight is just mind boggling. Seriously, why treat customers this way??? Nobody wants these hidden extra fees and everybody hates them. Also plane was too warm and no air vent, and water dripped from the ceiling at one point,

Excellent service throughout. Airport process is quick and easy. Very courteous staff. Great service in the plane! Just outstanding punctuality and service overall!!

It was so hot on the plane. No air jets above the seats

Some of the crew was sassy and not super helpful. The food was okay, but it seems like they were all unprepared compared to my flight I did from JFK to Frankfurt

We missed our flight. There was not enough time built into the layover to get through immigration, customs, bagclaim, bag rechecking, and the long trip to another terminal and gate. Kayak really screwed up. We took the bus up to Wisconsin and then were picked up in Brookfield by private car. It was lucky we didnt miss the last bus out.

We were in premium economy seats that appeared to be locked in plae, No reclining. My aching back.

I don’t understand how they charge as much as they do for such a poor experience

Lufthansa flight LH04414 from Munich to Washington DC, was fine. Efficient and safe!

I wish the plane had pod seating for business class. I had a window seat (8K) and I had to climb over the person sitting on the aisle when I needed to get up. Also there is no partition between the seats for privacy when sleeping. The Asian airlines have much nicer business class seating. Their seats are wider for better comfort when sleeping.

Bumpy ride, not Lufthansa‘s fault. Crew managed a situation over a back rest to far down well. It was two iles behind me. The person putting the seat down, against the other person’s knees, was quite rude and belligerent and needed to be told in a no nonsense matter to stopp. Male flight attendant did good job.

Patrick and the whole crew were amazing! Hope to have this team for all my European trips.

This review is based on 2 things: 1. The lack of hygiene on the plane. 2. William - the head flight attendant. The lack of cleanliness on the plane upon arrival was appalling. Being given a sanitizing wipe upon boarding of the plane is shocking when you consider the cost of a business class flight. UA expects me to do their job and clean all the bread, food and debris left from previous guests. Does this sound normal to you. The seat, the food table and the sides were full of crumbs, chocolate and dirt. When I told the flight attendant they just gave me more wipes so I could clean it myself. Secondly, William the business cabin head flight attendant was so busy flirting with a couple in the front that his attention to the other guests was minimal. He continuously asked them if they were ok or if they needed anything and it didn’t matter if the rest of us needed anything. And if you are the lead attendant shouldn’t you be checking if the bathrooms in business class are clean and needing toilet paper. There were 2 bathrooms in business. Halfway through the flight the first bathroom was closed and the second bathroom was dirty and had no toilet paper one hour and a half before the flight landed. He needs additional training on prioritizing things. He should care less about flirting and more about his work

Booked seats (paid extra) online and found they didn’t exist on the flight. We were then separated from the rest of our party. Given seats in the very back of the plane. We will not fly Discover or Lufthansa again. We will not book flights or travel through Kayak again!

The flight crew was kind, flexible, and accommodating. The seats on the plane were extremely uncomfortable.

Check-in experience, for business call please provide a premium experience

Lost my luggage, ran out of food choices in business class, ground crew was completely unapologetic.

Excellent. The crew and flight were great. Checking in was easy and everyone was very helpful.

Entertainment devices on A380 need to be fixed, the seats might do with updates.

Everything. Employees offered to help me because I had to use a cane.

Check-in and boarding were great. On flight staff were rude and disrespectful. Paid for extra room and found it incredibly cramped. Bathrooms kept in poor condition. Overall negative experience.

Great seat in premium economy, great food and drinks throughout lots of in flight entertainment. 1 hour 40 min delayed flying out , 2 1/2 hour wait at passport control in tampa

Plane was extremely delayed, but not all of it was BA fault (some was). Worst part was lack of room - this had as much space as an Allegiant flight. I thought transatlantic usually gave you an extra inch or two, but not this one. Entertainment system sporadically worked and didn’t have great options. Overhead bins are old and tiny, not as good as aunties new planes.

My seat cushion was poor. The cushion was compressed and was uncomfortable for such a long flight.

Everything you need to know for your flight to California

Cabin class types available on flights to Europe

Cabin classes available on flights to Europe. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.