$72 Find Cheap Flights from Michigan 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 Michigan to California departing on 9/10. 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

$72
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 14% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Ontario

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

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Michigan to California 
AndreaFlew with Spirit Airlines-Feb 2026
I chose Spirit because it was a lot cheaper. Expect a very uncomfortable seat for basic economy. Bring something to do because there is no back of the seat entertainment screen.
AngeliqueFlew with Spirit Airlines-Nov 2025
Know there is a shuttle to exit or get baggage
FelipeFlew with Delta-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 for booking flights from Michigan to California

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

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

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

    Michigan and California are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are Delta (128 flights per week), WestJet (112 flights per week), and Virgin Atlantic (55 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 39% 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 Jose Airport (SJC), with an average flight price of $316.

  • 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 $667. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $1,074 on average.

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

    The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $549 on average. Morning departures are around 5% 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 $786.

  • What is the cheapest flight to California?

    The cheapest ticket to California from Michigan found in the last 5 days was to John Wayne (Santa Ana), at $165 round-trip. The most popular route is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to San Francisco (SFO) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $349.

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

    The cheapest month for flights from Michigan to California is February, when tickets cost $241 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and March, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $319 and $307 respectively.

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

    To get a below average price on the flight from Michigan to California, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 21% 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 Michigan, there are direct flights to California from 1 city. This city is Detroit and there are 448 direct flights each week.

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

    There are around 64 direct flights from within Michigan to California every day. Most flights (38%) depart in the morning.

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

    Each week there are around 448 direct flights from within Michigan to California. The most common day for departures is Friday, with 17% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to California?

    An average nonstop flight from Michigan to California takes 5h 08m, covering a distance of 1780 miles. The shortest route is Chicago Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) to Las Vegas (LAS) with an average flight time of 3h 39m.

  • 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 448 medium-haul flights (3-6 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from Detroit.

  • What are the most popular destinations in California?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Las Vegas (39% of total searches to California). The next most popular destinations are Los Angeles (17%) and San Francisco (11%). Searches for flights to San Diego (9%), to Ontario (7%) and to John Wayne (Santa Ana) (4%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Michigan to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Michigan 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 4217 reviews
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

Flight left on time and was early landing. Seats not comfortable and not enough space…

4.0 OkayLeo, Aug 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Flight left on time and was early landing. Seats not comfortable and not enough space…

It would have been better if the flight was on time

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.

Both of my flights to and from JFK experienced significant delays. Most notably, my first flight was delayed by six hours due to crew members being affected by delays on a previous flight. While I understand that disruptions can occur, Delta’s staffing and operational planning should include sufficient contingency measures to handle situations like this rather than placing the full burden of those delays on customers. Additionally, the $12 meal voucher offered as compensation was inadequate, particularly given the high cost of food and beverages at the airport. Considering the length of the delay and the substantial inconvenience caused, I believe more meaningful compensation would have been appropriate.

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

Crew was real good, flight was smooth and came in early.

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

Meh. A late flight meant I missed my connections, and a 2pm LAX arrival turned into gettin in after midnight.

It was good until there was a 3 hour delay because there was not any pilots to fly the plane.

Was a great smooth flight from Detroit to San Diego.

Food could have been better. A little more leg room would have been appreciated.

the seat has a problem. the back had a hole.

Old 757 with poor entertainment system. United no longer partners with United for free text and email. O'Hara an absolute disaster! Limited gates clauses two hour delay. Unfortunately this appears to be the norm.

The SFO lounge closes at 12 midnight. My flight took off at 2AM

Delayed 2 hours while stuck on the aircraft. If the luggage was properly loaded the first time we probably wouldn’t have been delayed at all

Flight be on time would be a good start. Then train your flight attendants to be attentive and friendly. This time they completely forgot my row for the measly snack! United, do better!

It was a short, comfortable flight. It did leave an hour late due to the pilot having to be replaced (family emergency) but that didn’t inconvenience myself & my friend. The situation was explained, eventually.

There was a piece of plastic baked into my buttermilk biscuit! I have a pictures. The flight attendants in first class were really apologetic, and tried to rectify the situation. I I am very appreciative that they were able to give me some packets of pretzels and gummy bears. I understand they don't personally handle the food until warming it up so I know it wasn't their fault. I don't know whether it was a newer aircraft, or different food packaging, but I was happy that when the food was being warmed up - it didn't smell like plastic. Jokes on me with finding plastic in my food.

The seats were uncomfortable, as if the cushions haven't been switched out in many years. I felt like I was on an old bus. The food was delicious. thank you. Onboard entertainment, very limited. Unless you like violent movies. Why in the world would you have such severely violent movies on a plane? if you don't want to see such things, you don't have a choice. Have you considered that when choosing entertainment? Good god. Why would you have the Godfather? Or black women being brutally beaten with a club? Why in the hell would you put that kind of material on a plane? As for Kayak: Why when I ordered Qantas, was the plane on United?

UA594 was delayed multiple times. I ended up getting picked up so I can make it in time for work 6AM on Monday, 7/6/2026

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

Awful! We boarded and then sat on the plane for 50 mins before having to deplane due to a maintenance issue which should have been addressed before boarding. Then we had to change terminals as there was no other plane for us at the current terminal. Then we waited another 2 and a half hours to board again only to wait for 50 mins on the plane again for the snacks to be brought from the broken plane. And once we were on the flight we still only got the complimentary cookie and soda or water. No food vouchers provided even though we had waited over 3 hours for our flight.

Our experience with American Airlines was extremely disappointing and honestly made an already exhausting international journey much worse. After flying all the way from Melbourne and dealing with significant jet lag, the American Airlines experience at LAX was the last thing we needed. The terminal and boarding area felt very old and uncomfortable, with little to no air conditioning and only old fans running in the area. Boarding was also through outdoor stairs rather than a jet bridge, which felt especially inconvenient after such a long journey. Even though we were traveling First Class, the onboard experience was surprisingly poor. There were no meaningful snack options, no decent coffee available to order, and the aircraft was so small that there was barely enough overhead space for carry-on luggage. The staff experience was also disappointing and lacked the warmth or attentiveness we had experienced on our international flights. To make matters worse, the flight departed late, extending an already very long travel day. Overall, the combination of the outdated terminal, uncomfortable boarding process, limited First Class service, small aircraft, poor staff experience, and delay made this an extremely unpleasant final leg of our journey. It significantly worsened our exhaustion and jet lag rather than making the connection home easier. Unfortunately, this experience was bad enough that I do not plan to travel with American Airlines again in the future.

No food. I paid over $1.000 for my ticket for nuts and espresso beans.

My flight in Dallas had maintenance issues. Which caused us to missed our connecting flight in LA. We had to stay overnight in Los Angeles. American Airlines booked us a hotel. The hotel was the Holiday Inn. It was horrible. The whole hotel smelled like weed and there were people rambling all night long up and down the hallways. The carpets in the hallway and the room has stains. There was dirt on the floor. It was so nasty that I slept in my clothes.

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.

I’ve been on 8 flights with American Airlines in the last 2 months and 4 have been delayed.

Mechanical delay > Crew Time out. No communication to passengers. Crew time out was positioned as a surprise (even though it must have been know at the time of boarding that the crew would time out.

Tiny seats, no entertainment, no amenities, delays, they charge for carry on and their allowed personal item is smaller than in other airlines.

I really didn't like anything. Paid for my checked luggage online ($79) and then was told that I would have to paid another $79 for my carry on. Was not allowed to enter the terminal until 3 hours before my flight and when I finally was allowed to check my bag and enter, my flight was delayed 3 times. When I finally landed, we were all instructed to "run off the plane" as they had to do a quick turn around to Las Vegas. Me and several of my flying companions will never fly Frontier again.

Our flight was canceled. I will never use Kayak nor Frontier for travel again. The entire experience was a headache.

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

i was unable to check in the flight. refund requested

I think Frontier was very good at communication. Their app worked very well. Loading was great and the flight was nice and easy.

Great for the price. No wifi or entertainment, but gate agents and crew were fantastic and we boarded quickly and left on time.

Decent clean onboard experience. Okay discount airline experience. Unfortunately, any customer service interactions are difficult and unhelpful. There is no service. Also, a premium seat only gets you premium boarding if you line up first. Once they start general boarding you must go to the back of the line. Not very premium

The crew was mostly okay. The flight attendant who answered our questions was curt and unhelpful unfortunately. He seemed upset and I understand having off days.

Very bad! No good service delayed my second connection flight

Everything you need to know for your flight to California

Cabin class types available on flights to Michigan

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