$111 Find Cheap Flights from New York State to California

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to California

Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 23% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Useful Info

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$111
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 3% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 13% increase in price.
Flight from New York LaGuardia Airport to San Francisco

Flights from New York to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from New York to California 
KathleenFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SAN
Feb 2026
allow plenty of time to get to the airport and through security. Take the plane train if you can. Terminal eight has good food options
BeverlyFlew with JetBlue
JFK
-
SFO
Dec 2025
Wear support socks which helps when you sit for a long time.
LuisFlew with Delta
JFK
-
SFO
Mar 2025
It’s a long flight, come prepared to either watch movies, read or sleep.
HowardFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SAN
May 2025
Must have a tablet to watch videos. Bring a seat cushion.
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines
JFK
-
LAX
Jan 2025
Be there on time it really need two hours for security checkups
Verified travelerFlew with Qantas Airways
JFK
-
LAX
Nov 2024
there was an instance where a non speaking couple didnt know when to board. people cut in front of them and the crew didnt respond. it would be nice if there were translators available to assist when needed. i get that you want people on board as quickly as possible. sometimes, it's like herding cats. but do assist the people who dont understand the language.
JulieFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SFO
Oct 2024
Leave early. JFK can be messy. I couldn’t find healthy food choices so eat before you arrive.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SAN
Oct 2024
Landing in La Guardia or Newark (New Jersey) is more convenient for commuting to Manhattan.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SFO
Jun 2024
SFO is one of the most convenient and pleasant airports. When flying Alaska Air make sure to bring your food and a larger water bottle that usual (you get only two drink services (one small cup each) for a 6 hour flight.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
PSP
Mar 2024
Bring an iPad with lots of shows downloaded. The terminal at jfk is nice and small, easy to go thru security. Palm Springs airport is amazing. You step out and feel like you’re on vacation.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
JFK
-
SFO
May 2024
The airport food was limited and expensive. Best to bring a sandwich from outside…
LaurenFlew with JetBlue
JFK
-
LAX
Dec 2023
Be very careful that you don’t misplace anything. If you have to go through TSA multiple times, be sure to retrieve ALL your things even if it means you have to hold up the line unfortunately. Otherwise, there will be zero help to retrieve your things afterwards even though there are so many cameras.

FAQs for booking flights from New York State to California

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from New York State 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 New York State to California.

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

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

    New York State and California are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are United Airlines (285 flights per week), Air New Zealand (238 flights per week), and Virgin Australia (235 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 Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR), with an average flight price of $160.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to California?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to California is Monday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $375. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $467 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 morning, when round-trip flights cost $361 on average. Morning departures are around 47% 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 $679.

  • What is the cheapest flight to California?

    The cheapest ticket to California from New York State found in the last 72 hours was to Ontario, at $149 round-trip. The most popular route is Buffalo (BUF) to Los Angeles (LAX) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $193.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from New York State to California?

    The cheapest month for flights from New York State to California is February, when tickets cost $267 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $538 and $534 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from New York State to California?

    To get a below average price on the flight from New York State to California, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 42% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to California?

    From New York State, there are direct flights to California from 1 city. This city is New York and there are 3,835 direct flights each week.

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

    There are around 548 direct flights from within New York State to California every day. Most flights (37%) depart in the morning.

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

    Each week there are around 3,835 direct flights from within New York State to California. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 18% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to California?

    An average nonstop flight from New York State to California takes 7h 15m, covering a distance of 2407 miles. The shortest route is Buffalo (BUF) to Las Vegas (LAS) with an average flight time of 4h 40m.

  • 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 3,835 medium-haul flights (3-6 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from New York.

  • What are the most popular destinations in California?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is San Francisco (40% of total searches to California). The next most popular destinations are Los Angeles (22%) and Las Vegas (19%). Searches for flights to San Diego (4%), to Ontario (4%) and to Burbank (3%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from New York to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from New York 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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 12100 reviews
8.5Crew
7.0Entertainment
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
Airline reviews

Fine for a short flight. All went well. Snacks are lacking and I couldn’t hook up to wifi through the app, but it was fine.

10.0 ExcellentBill, Mar 2026
PDX - SMF
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Fine for a short flight. All went well. Snacks are lacking and I couldn’t hook up to wifi through the app, but it was fine.

Aircraft was freezing, cold air blowing on me the entire time and the individual fans were turned off.

Four hour delay. Missed our event. And they offered me $75. Absolutely shameful.

i canceled my flight from SEA to SFO, SNA to SEA and received full refund from Alaska Airlines. i am pleased with the customer service.

I have been flying commercial for decades. I was in one of the ladder boarding groups, had my bag tagged because they thought there was not going to be enough space for it in the overhead bins. I politely asked one of the attendance if I could try to find a space- she said I could and I did. I then took the bag tag off and gave it to one of the other attendants as I was told to do by the first one. He, in a curt, anal, and disrespectful manner, told me that I needed to take my bag down from the overhead bin and check it. This was a situation I’ve never encountered before. The attendant’s attitude was confrontational and belittling in front of other onlooking passengers as if daring me to challenge him. I am a physician who takes care of patients day in and day out. Not wanting to make a scene, I calmly told him, “do what you need to do.” he took my bag down from the overhead bin, put the back tag back on it, and checked it only to make room for another bag that was also supposed to be technically checked by a following passenger. The same male attendant later came up to me and said “you shouldn’t have showed me the bag tag,” as if conveying that he was just following protocol was a justification for treating me like a kid out of line. I cared about this because it took 15 minutes from my life to then retrieve the bag at baggage claim and it also felt like really poor customer service. I understand the need for protocols. This is also a service industry, and we the passengers are the clients. We should be made to feel welcome and respected and our life in transit made as easy as it can be within reason. This attendant clearly needs to be reminded of that. Of note, an older female fellow passenger sitting next to me agreed with this assessment.

Departing flight for our weekend trip was cancelled due to weather which meant our return flight was useless. The whole thing was difficult to get support through but Alaska did recover and was able to reimburse us for the flights yesterday. For some reason, Kayak was not kept in the loop, adding to the confusion.

i canceled my return flight package with Alaska Airlines. Customer Service was excellent and assisted me to cancelled both of our reservations and returned the payment in full. that is excellent service and understanding and empathy of the customers' needs. i like Alaska Airlines and recommend AS to everyone.

You sent me an email saying boarding was at 9:29 and AA sent one that was 8:29 on Sunday morning. I had to call AA to get that it was indeed 8:29.

The airport crew and on board experience was fine. The problem with Alaska air is that there is zero customer service over the phone when you’re trying to buy your ticket or change anything.

The front desk attendant was rude to everyone in an absolutely careless way.

Left a few minutes early. Got in 15 minutes early. Very attentive service on board. Very organized boarding.

There’s not much to say about a one hour flight. This is a connection from LA to RNO that I missed the previous night due to a mechanical check delay on my originating flight from JFK to LAX. The short flight itself was fine. Instructions from the pilot and crew were per usual. The coffee was barely lukewarm, which possibly was purposeful so we would down it quickly. Bags were already on carousel upon reaching baggage claim, which was excellent.

Delta continues to set the benchmark for traveler-friendly service with minimal disruption and clear communication within the mainland US (coast to coast). I am consistently pleased to be a Delta customer, and this experience once again met my expectations. There was a brief delay departing from MIA due to a technical issue that required the aircraft to return to the gate. However, the situation was handled professionally and transparently. Fortunately, my planned layover allowed ample buffer time, so the adjustment caused no stress. Overall, another smooth and reassuring experience.

Awesome! On time flight, early arrival, and a complimentary upgrade!

Was forced to check in my small carry on, even though I informed the crew it has very fragile items inside

They double booked seats, the gate staff changed my ticket as I was boarding she went over to the computer and changed it without telling me. She messed up an entire three row section for me and others. Other travelers were outraged but the gate staff were so rude, so condescending saying it wasn't their problem to solve. I would rate this a zero if I could. Will not fly Delta again I'll stick with United and American.

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.

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.

They changed planes and the new plane couldn’t carry enough fuel to fly across the country so we had to stop in Kansas City to refuel. Flight was delayed .

Flight delayed for more than 16 hrs and no effort was spent to provide an alternate

Overall we had a good experience during our flight from San Francisco to Houston.

it was a very short flight so my expectations were low.

Very disappointing given gate agent behavior. Filed a formal complaint with United.

Flight delayed. WiFi connectivity very poor if not existant. Last minute arrival forced me to run to catch my connection.

The power at the seat didn't work and the seat itself was difficult to adjust - this was a business class seat. Flight attendant gave me miles to compensate. The attendant was very professional and on top of his game the entire flight.

the whole trip was smooth, and as comfortable as flying is these days. flight crew was friendly and very courteous and helpful.

First class ticket gets you a choice of chips or nuts. . Just like economy Southwest. Also no screen in the seats. This is first class???!

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

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.

Automated scanning was slow and somewhat haphazard. Too many people were unfamiliar with the tech and were forced to learn on the fly. The hands off approach of the gate staff made it more uncomfortable. This needs work. Overall the flight and cabin crew were excellent.

Crew were fantastic and so catering and wonderful! Full score for the entire crew!

Terrible. They canceled our early morning flight after midnight on the day of and had no available flights to rebook my family on for the next 72 hours. Yet they still had other flights that were not cancelled from JFK so it couldn’t be based on the weather. It felt like they canceled the flight based on it not being profitable enough for them. I am not interested in traveling with the again. The absolute worse customer service and lack of accountability.

First time flying with JetBlue and never again. I went to the counter to request meet and assist because I'm 74 and my wife is 79. I walk with a cane and my wife is handicapped and has her own wheel chair. I told the agent that my wife and luggage was at the entrance door. The ticketing agent said to me that they don't offer meet and assist. I need to bring them our luggage and then go back and get my wife in order to get my boarding pass. As I went back to get my luggage a Southwest agent along with a TSA agent recognized the situation and came over and took my wife and luggage to the JetBlue ticketing counter alongside the line and told the JetBlue agent to issue to take our luggage as soon as they could.

Very pleasant flight attendants. Gate crew rather loud chatting with each other.

Plane was in bad shape. TV’s and WiFi didn’t work. Plane need a refresh. Not enough room for bags.

Everything was great. I liked the text updates so that I never miss a gate change & I have all the latest info.

Worst flight experience ever flights canceled. JetBlue told us just did not even bother standing in line to come back in one and a half hours then without any information we had to go pick up all of our luggage and spend over $2000 in accommodation just to get home. JetBlue said that the next flight available for us to get home would be three days later. Absolutely absurd hasn’t offered to give us any compensation do not fly JetBlue horrible company. They said it was based on the weather and the weather is great in all locations that we would’ve been flying to total hoax. I think it’s a conspiracy theory.

Communication since no reason or explanation was given for 3 hrs delay

Excellent. Although they used to greet me as a mosaic member and provide a free drink, early boarding helps me to keep coming back to JetBlue.

The experience at checkin for my American Airlines flight from Sacramento to LAX was very good including the assistance I received in getting my bags checked in and boarding passes printed. Was pleasantly surprised the my bags were checked through all the way to my destination at Clark International Airport in Angeles, Philippines.

Smooth flight. From the early boarding and all were on board before departure time and arrived early in ONT. Great crew. Thank you!!!!

The flight was significantly delayed for 6.5 hours because of snow. There was no communication once the plane returned to the gate regarding when the flight would resume. Other flights were departing while our flight was being unloaded for reasons unknown. Our flight also seemed out of the queue regarding further deicing, refueling, and waiting to Taxi to the runway.

They are always late and seats was also not having working charger

did not have enough meal for first class passengers so offer us snack

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.

Everything you need to know for your flight to California

Cabin class types available on flights to New York

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