$163 Find Cheap Flights from The Big Island to California - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from The Big Island to California departing on 8/28. 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.
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Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$163
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 13% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from Hilo to Las Vegas

Flights from The Big Island to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from The Big Island to California 
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
KOA
-
SFO
Feb 2026
I flew direct from Kona Airport. It's small, friendly . But on the obverse side loading did take a very long. Take a direct flight to San Francisco; connection is a terrible experience in Honolulu International Airport.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
KOA
-
LAX
Nov 2025
Pay to reserve your seat and bring airbuds for the free movies!
MikeFlew with Alaska Airlines
KOA
-
SJC
Jul 2025
Be prepared for your flight by purchasing a meal before departure, and by all means spend the eight bucks for inflight WiFi.
Verified travelerFlew with Hawaiian Airlines
KOA
-
SMF
Oct 2024
The gate we were at did not have a designated boarding area. This caused passengers to congregate in the middle of a walkway. The gate agent was clear in telling people to sit until their zone was called, but many did not listen. Whole fruits and vegetables are also not allowed, so don't pack those back to California. Bags were also weighed -- carry-ons could be just 25 pounds or less. This was enforced.

FAQs for booking flights from The Big Island to California

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from The Big Island 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 The Big Island to California.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from The Big Island 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 The Big Island 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 The Big Island 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 The Big Island 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 The Big Island 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?

    The Big Island and California are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are ITA Airways (50 flights per week), United Airlines (49 flights per week), and Copa Airlines (32 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 40% 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 Sacramento Intl Airport (SMF), with an average flight price of $280.

  • 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 $449. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $553 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 afternoon, when round-trip flights cost $448 on average. Morning departures are around 27% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $601.

  • What is the cheapest flight to California?

    The cheapest ticket to California from The Big Island found in the last 5 days was to San Diego, at $197 round-trip. The most popular route is Kailua-Kona (KOA) to San Francisco (SFO) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $296.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from The Big Island to California?

    The cheapest month for flights from The Big Island to California is September, when tickets cost $221 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $299 and $299 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from The Big Island to California?

    To get a below average price on the flight from The Big Island to California, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 22 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to California?

    From The Big Island, there are direct flights to California from 1 city. This city is Kailua-Kona and there are 302 direct flights each week.

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

    There are around 44 direct flights from within The Big Island to California every day. Most flights (43%) depart in the morning.

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

    Each week there are around 302 direct flights from within The Big Island to California. The most common day for departures is Friday, with 16% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to California?

    An average nonstop flight from The Big Island to California takes 9h 16m, covering a distance of 2457 miles. The shortest route is Kailua-Kona (KOA) to Sacramento (SMF) with an average flight time of 5h 00m.

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

    There are not any long-haul (6-12 hour flight duration) or short-haul (up to 3 hour flight duration) flights to California. Instead, there are 302 medium-haul flights (3-6 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from Kailua-Kona.

  • What are the most popular destinations in California?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Las Vegas (31% of total searches to California). The next most popular destinations are Los Angeles (16%) and San Francisco (14%). Searches for flights to San Diego (8%), to Oakland (5%) and to San Jose (4%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from The Big Island to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from The Big Island 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.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4229 reviews
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
7.0Food
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

No wifi, seems to be very common with Southwest currently. Everything else was normal.

8.0 ExcellentSean, Jul 2026
HOU - LGB
Read more Southwest reviews

No wifi, seems to be very common with Southwest currently. Everything else was normal.

Poor customer service, no accommodation for passengers when the flight was delayed over 5 hours.

The flight was late. The crew was rude. There was no food. Cramped and uncomfortable. Nothing about this flight was good.

It was just okay, no frills, basic transportation with no luxury. No screens on the seats, no water or drinks on a short flight. Full flight but at least it was on time.

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

No gluten free snacks. Seats felt worn or bare bones even though it was a new 737 MAX 8.

Plane was clean and comfortable. Flight attendants and gate staff were professional, friendly and efficient. Boarding and deplaning were orderly and efficient. All in all, the typical excellent Southwest experience.

Not having a five hour delay with little notice! The crew was very kind, though, and just as tired as we passengers were. The flight didn't depart until nearly 1 am...and no reason was ever given.

Boarding process, crew were good. But the seats were so uncomfortable that was all I could focus on. I literally had to sit forward so that all 3 of us could fit in row. I will try to avoid Southwest in the future for any flights over 60 minutes.

Boarding was quick. The flight itself was good. However, no charging ports for cell phones. Also, the food provided was just a few snacks. For a 5-hr flight, I would expect at least a sandwich.

Had small delay to replace a airplane tire but overall it. Went well.

Part of the first class package is luggage. We checked our luggage in easily but our luggage should be one of the first bags off when we land. On both flights this was not the case. The lounge in Kauai is awful. Food and drinks were excellent on the flight. Service was attentive. On the flight over we arrived 45 minutes early. Like last time the same thing happened in a previous flight. The problem both times was waiting in the plane for 30 minutes so that a spot to unload could open.

Good flight overall. Lots of bumps during flight but pilot kept searching for smooth air

I wasn’t aware that we needed to supply our own screens for entertainment

I was in economy class and there was plenty of leg room. New interior which was nice and they served various kinds of chips and sodas on the red eye. You couldn't get a bottle of water but they instead served it in a medium paper cup from a reinforced structured paper container, environmental friendly.

Boarding passes could not be received online, even after online check-in. While they appeared on the Alaska.com app, they did not transfer to inbox or messages and were not available at all on the Alaska.com app following the check-in process. There was no choice other than to get boarding passes at the airport counter.

I know airlines have to save money, but a little more legroom would be nice. I’m a small person and I just felt cramped after a few hours. However, I loved everything else! Free Alaska Airlines wifi, free movies, yummy snacks, and the crew was so helpful and accommodating!

I love the flight ✈️ Hawaiian Airlines. All stuffs are fantastic members ♡ sweet hearts and families warm welcome 🙏 I have milage of Hawaiian Airlines members so get points .also I booked kayak agent got cheap price ! I satisfied flight with Hawaiian Airlines ♡ thank you

Good, but because I fly internationally I found the food and service lousy compared to European standards. You should include a regular small mean (and not a lousy sandwich) and ear phones. People who travel from Europe are not aware of limited services.

Look at my previous review I just wrote on this survey. It was awful!

Comfortable seats. Nice service online. Short flight, so not a lot of time to enjoy.

The flight was done by SkyWest only WIFI no entertainment center are available on the CRJ

Delta is always late. Ruined our first day of a short vacation. Timing is important. We pay to stay on an itinerary

We never made it on this flight because we missed our connection due to o delayed flight from Jackson.

We got stuck on the tarmac taxiing after landing early so we didn’t get off the plane until an hour later than we thought we would

Staff at the check-in counter were friendly, happy and helpful. They tagged our bags and sent us to “bag drop off” but were not very clear about where that was. The airport was busy we headed off in what we thought was the right direction until a gentleman waved us down and actually came after us. He was the baggage handler for Delta and recognized our “deer in the headlights “ look-he brought us to the right area (which was marked as the Southwest Airlines Drop Off) and sent us on our way. Wonderful guy, low key and working with a big smile on his face. Loved it. Loved him.

My flight was extremely cold. I had a jacket and a cover was left in each seat. The cover was extremely thin and I have a disability, fibromyalgia and arthrithis and AC air is the worst. I closed my vent and my husbands vent and it still was frigid. I asked the attendant if I could get another cover and she quickly almost dismissively and totally unconcerned stating, (I quote) (one per chair) and walked off so quickly that I didn't get a chance to explain to her that I literally have adisability. I didnt want to make a seen so I set on that flight for over 5 hours in pain, joints locking up and extremely uncomfortable. When my fibromyalgia flares up my joints not only ache but they will lock up also and it takes me days to get back to my regular self even though I take medication for it. I felt like it would not have hurt anyone at all for her to just give me an extra cover because I'm sure they have all types of medical issues in people that fly every day.

Your crew could maybe answer the call bell at least one of the times I pressed it. I pressed it first time with 2.5 hours left in our flight bc my partner was hungry and wanted a sandwich. We finally got the sandwich with 40 mins left in the flight.

Delta flights are great. Easy boarding, friendly crew, great entertainment system. The food/snack choices could be a little better, especially on 4+ hour flights, but still better than most other airlines.

Not much food service - comfort + seat wasn’t that comfortable

Excellent flight. On time. Great staff. Clean and crisp cabin.

This was an overnight flight, and in the morning they did know coffee service. How you can throw passengers in a San Francisco airport at 5:40 a.m. in the morning and not giving them Coffee is a crime.

Packed in plane small uncomfortable seats elbow to elbow nobody wants to be in that situation for the money they paid

Horrible service no Wi-Fi connection on both leg of the flight and they are refusing to fix bad service

Flight arrived 30 min early and bag was waiting at the baggage pickup. United Club HNL was one of the nicest in the system

The flight was comfortable with the exit row and great service

1. when we went to check in, our 2 first class seats had been CANCELED and the flight was sold out. This was done without our prior knowledge. It was all we could do to restore one first class seat for my wife and I flew economy. 2, Our flight home was scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm. Due to tsunami warnings, the roads were closed and our flight status was uncertain as to whether it would leave as scheduled. It was announced that it would now leave at 11:20 pm and the roads were now open since the tsunami had come and gone. We made a mad dash to the airport and checked in. Delays were announced at 12:30 pm, 1:30 am, 2:30 am and at 3:30 am it was canceled. Since this was a flight due to natural (tsunami) causes, there was no compensation. We were told to return at 1:00 pm the next day and our baggage would be kept on the plane since the same plane was going to leave at 1:00 pm. We had to return to our hotel for the rest of the night. The same plane did not leave at 1:00 pm and our baggage was gone! All in all, it was a miserable performance by UA. Information was hard to obtain and no one knew what was going on and what was going to happen. Hundreds of passengers slept on the floor, chairs, etc. No food and no water was made available to the passengers. It was a situation where UA could care less what was going on. As a one million mile flyer, I had not experienced anything like this before and it was hugely disappointing!

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

United out of SFO is having issues with catering so none of our meals were loaded on the plane and no offer of compensation for our tickets purchased was offered.

For the most part united was a good experience, how ever when they came by with the snacks and water, they completely passed by my wife and I. As we were in separate rows. On a 5 hr flight we were not offered water

Great. Clean. Seats comfortable. Food was free. Had new release movies.

The airplane I love and I love I came back safe thank you American airlines

Horrible. No AC. No Air inside the plane. We had to deplane twice! It is late almost 5 hrs in total. I almost passed out and about to call 911. I asked the crew to be honest and open the door. The lady next to me was lay down in the floor due to heat and no air inside the plane. I got headaches, can’t wait the replacement flight about midnight Dallas time. I end it up rebook for next day flight and stay overnight using my own pocket in a hotel nearby due to headaches and can’t breath. I still have a headache this morning. Still not decided yes how to file this issue to AA and/or FAA.

Worst communication. Delayed boarding for two hours without a single announcement until hour 1 had passed - on time status showing until our flight was supposed to takeoff and the crew had already walked away. No one was boarding. Disgusting part of DFW overcrowded with no AC on a 97 degree day. Then the first app update is that we’d take off in 15 mins… but again no one had boarded a full flight. No announcement in the terminal so everyone is just crowded around a disgusting place with no info for over an hour which turned into two. This was an overfill flight and a disgrace to passenger decency all while likely just trying to fix their own issue of overbooking. The worst airline at the worst airport.

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

Boarding gate in Honolulu was staffed with a great clerk with a soothing voice despite the flight delay of over an hour. Flight attendants in the plane were all grumpy, not pleasant looking bunch. Their sour attitude showed throughout the flight. Inly able to get a select few movies started. Most of the movie links in the “free entertainment” did not work.

Flight boarded from Gate 39 at OGG, the farthest gate in the terminal. There were no Hawaiian themed amenities for the flight. The first class service was mediocre at best; I received not special welcome or recognition as an executive platinum member of American Advantage program. The flight attendants were more concerned with their cell phones than saying "thank you" to the passengers as we disembarked. Fortunately, the flight arrived at LAX a few minutes early.

RE Food: Wish there was a choice for No Rating. Flew from Honolulu to Los Angeles on a Red-Eye flight (11:00 pm to 7:30 am). Other than a package of cookies with a beverage choice offered soon after take-off, and a beverage choice shortly before landing, no other food choices were offered. Everyone slept or rested for most of the trip. Nothing to rate. RE Entertainment: Everyone was sleeping most of the flight. Only saw one passenger watch about 30 minutes of entertainment on his iPad. I never attempted to access any entertainment options.

Our flight was great we left Kona earlier and got into LAX almost an 1hour earlier as well. LAX AA is in repair so to get out and found our bus to get pick up was a bit confusing.

I can say I will not be taking this airline again any time soon. Seat were uncomfortable and too tight. Lack of chair screen and little overhead space.

Everything you need to know for your flight to California

Cabin class types available on flights to The Big Island

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