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Cheap Flights from Portland to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$181
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$136
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$148
San Jose
San Josenonstop$166
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$214
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$221
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispononstop$277
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$308
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$414
Redding
Redding1 stop$402
Merced
Merced1 stop$390
Reno
Reno1 stop$170
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$181
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$136
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$148
San Jose
San Josenonstop$166
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$214
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$221
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispononstop$277
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$308
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$414
Redding
Redding1 stop$402
Merced
Merced1 stop$390
Reno
Reno1 stop$170
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Portland to California flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Portland to California?

Flight prices are below average for this route right now.

Flights to California from Portland usually cost between $187 and $300 in September.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $181 on Frontier (Sep 18-Sep 20).

What is the cheapest Portland to California flight route?

The cheapest ticket to California from Portland found in the last 5 days was to Oakland, at $117 round-trip. The most popular route is from Portland (PDX) to San Francisco (SFO), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $137.

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 $259 on average. Morning departures are around 21% 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 $374.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Portland to California?

No, with an average price for the route of $309, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Portland to California?

The cheapest month for flights from Portland to California is January, when tickets cost $225 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and June, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $333 and $327 respectively.

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

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

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

To get a below average price on the flight from Portland to California, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 37% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 8 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$65
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 26% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 6% increase in price.
Flight from Portland to San Francisco

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

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Portland to California 
MichaelFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2026
The Portland airport is very easy to get into (traffic, TSA, etc.) Sunday late afternoon/evening.
CatlinFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2025
New terminal at PDX is gorgeous & very easy. LAX is a horrible, stressful mess & worse than when I grew up there. Waited with confirmed reservation at Dollar rentals for 90 minutes with 3 clerks. ALLOW EXTRA TIME.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2025
Super easy airport, TSA is organized and efficient. Lots of food choices once at the gates. There is a piano player on a grand piano!
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2025
Good to get to PDX early because it is a great airport to hang out in.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2025
My mom told me prior to boarding an airplane I should empty my bladder. As I age, that advice becomes more sage.
RobertFlew with Alaska Airlines-May 2025
That flights from Portland to S.F. with an international Eva air connect require checking in again before boarding
BrentFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
At PDX, you can go to either security checkpoint upon entering. Even if the checkpoint with the shorter line is not sided with your concourse, it's all connected & knowing this can save you 30 minutes or more in line.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
LAX is a large airport with long walking distances to exit in terminal 6.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
PDX can be slow getting through TSA but the car rental return is super easy. Still might need to add a little more time than you usually would.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2024
Definitely arrive the 2 hours before your flight or you will have no extra time before boarding. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2024
Los Angeles airport has convenient entry & exit without long walks to & from the gates.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jul 2024
Bring your own food and coffee. No hot bevarages available.
BobFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2024
We usually fly on Southwest, which allows entering and exiting the plane in both the front and the rear of the plane. I was hoping for the same options on Alaska Airlines, but discovered that they do not use that approach at Burbank. I don''t know whether this is specific to Alaska Air, or maybe specific to the fact that it is in a different terminal at Burbank than Southwest uses. Had I known ahead of time that they did not allow deplaning from the rear exit, I would not have chosen seats in the rear of the plane.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Dec 2023
The people who find your lost bags will call you, so always label your bags! They also have separate offices. Their service is great too. Just make sure to set up transportation from San Jose when landing if you have somewhere to be. The Uber drivers and Lyft drivers are extremely bad at speaking English, and will often not even take customers who try to engage them, even if you schedule or give them cash. There are shuttles for around the Bay Area, but they can be a pain if you do not have 25$ in cash. I was a little late to San Jose. Alaska lost a free checked bag. I left it on the plane, and then I managed to leave it at the airport after barely catching a shuttle. Well, I caught a ride with two people and a Uber driver. I was going to split fares, right? Well, the Uber driver and I had so much in common and she felt so sorry for me, because I did NOT make it to SFO in time....that she offered to have me stay with her husband and her. I did not want to invade her space at all, so I had her drop me off at SFO. She didn't charge me! Nicest woman I ever met. I ended up staying overnight like she warned in SFO, because the airport doesn't have restaurants or anything that stay open overnight. I was hungry and planning to get something. I didn't get a chance to, because another airline, United, isn't as organized and doesn't care as much. They just told me I missed a flight and the next one I'd have to see if I get onto unless I bought a standby ticket. Which I did. And they told me the Gate changed 4 different times, and made me stay in line for no reason. I just sat in one place for a few hours. One good thing about San Jose is that they do have restaurants, places to sit adjacent to the restaurants, and the different gates, in a very clear layout. There are also clearly posted hours. PDX is very fancy but not very clearly marked in some ways. SFO is an open layout and the gates are clear but there are also points you can't get past. In PDX, you can also rent a car. Both places have large complexes for cars.

FAQs - booking California flights

  • I’m visiting the central coast region of California. Where should I fly to?

    If you’re looking to explore the central coast of California, consider flights from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Monterey Regional Airport (MRY). United Airlines has one-stop layovers that go to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), while Alaska Airlines’ layovers stop at Seattle (SEA). Alternatively, consider flights to San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP). Alaska Airlines provides a nonstop flight as well as a one-stop layover that goes to Las Vegas (LAS).

  • What airport should I use on my flight from Portland to the Bay Area?

    If you’re flying from Portland to California to explore the Bay Area region, consider flights to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines provide nonstop flight service to San Francisco Airport. In addition, you might consider flights to San Jose International Airport (SJC). Alaska Airlines provides nonstop flights, while Delta provides one-stop layovers that go to Seattle (SEA) before landing at San Jose Airport.

  • I want to explore southern California. Where should I fly to?

    If you’d like to explore the southern region of California, consider flights from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Delta and Alaska Airlines both provide nonstop flight service to LAX. Alternatively, you might consider flights to San Diego International Airport (SAN). United Airlines provides layover flights that stop in San Francisco (SFO), while Alaska Airlines and Delta provide layovers that stop in Seattle (SEA).

  • I’m flying from Portland to visit the southeastern deserts of California. Where should I fly?

    If you’re keen on visiting the southeastern deserts of California, consider flying from Portland International Airport (PDX) to either Ontario International Airport (ONT) or Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). Alaska Airlines provides nonstop flights to both ONT and PSP, while Delta provides layover flights that stop at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).

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

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

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

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Portland to the following destinations at these prices or less: Las Vegas $142 one-way - $230 round-trip; Los Angeles $139 one-way - $237 round-trip; San Francisco $161 one-way - $270 round-trip
  • If you want to relax a bit before your departure to California, Portland International Airport (PDX) has three main lounges. Alaska Lounge is located near Gate C5 and the United Club is near Gate E1. Both allow payment at the door. The Delta Sky Lounge is between Gates D5 and D7 and requires membership for access.
  • For ease of travel for passengers with reduced mobility, Portland International Airport has accessible restrooms, accessible parking spaces, wheelchair assistance upon request, and recognition of hidden disabilities through the Sunflower program. In addition, the airport has pet relief areas near Gate D5 and C5.
  • Concerned about eco-friendliness on flights from Portland to California? American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines aim for carbon neutrality by 2050, in part by using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in their fleets. Alaska Airlines aims for the same by 2040, and Frontier Airlines will have one of the most fuel-efficient fleets around.
  • If you’re looking to fly nonstop from Portland Airport to California, Alaska Airlines provides nonstop flights to San Francisco Airport (SFO), San Diego International Airport (SAN), Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), and Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT). Additionally, Delta provides nonstop flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
  • If you have some extra time to spare before your flight leaves from Portland International Airport, consider visiting the Hollywood Theater in Concourse C. It plays short family-friendly films, and it’s free to enter. Additionally, Portland Airport hosts both art exhibits and live music throughout the single terminal.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Portland to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Portland 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 4215 reviews
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Seated at front bulkhead for a smidge extra leg room away from home and on flight back home. Away crew was very proactive about assuring our carryons had space close behind us (because no seat in front of us our personal items had to be in a small bin overhead). They actively required passengers place overhead luggage on its side so more items could fit in bins. Home crew made no such efforts. I had to struggle back rows to get overhead bags upon landing, no crew help then either, and some disgruntled passengers as I and others retrieved our bags. There was a system that worked pretty well. The home bound crew just didn't feel like working.

4.0 OkayMather, Aug 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Seated at front bulkhead for a smidge extra leg room away from home and on flight back home. Away crew was very proactive about assuring our carryons had space close behind us (because no seat in front of us our personal items had to be in a small bin overhead). They actively required passengers place overhead luggage on its side so more items could fit in bins. Home crew made no such efforts. I had to struggle back rows to get overhead bags upon landing, no crew help then either, and some disgruntled passengers as I and others retrieved our bags. There was a system that worked pretty well. The home bound crew just didn't feel like working.

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.

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

The Southwest employees (all two of them) were very nice and cheerful despite the fact the line to self-check a bag (simply drop it off) was hundreds of people long. Thank God I arrived early to the airport because I stood in this line for at least an hour. Once on the flight that had been delayed by an hour, we had no Wi-Fi and thus no entertainment. Finally, I hope the investor strong arm tactics against Southwest pay off in a short-term windfall to your C-Suite because the rest of you are screwed. I have been a faithful Southwest customer for 15 years due to everything you just got rid of. I'm flying to Idaho and Washington in October, both places I used to simply book with Southwest without a second thought now with Frontier (Washington) and United (Idaho) because they offer everything the "new" Southwest does but cheaper and at better times, destinations, etc. This really makes me sad...

It was really nice! I appreciate the gate attendant allowing families with small children to board early on in the process… that was very helpful! The internet service didn’t work with the app I was trying to use even though I paid the $8… other than that it was great! Oh and I should’ve asked for the whole cranberry cocktail can. That cup was about 2 sips…

I liked the boarding process with our loading group and numbers. I disliked that I couldn't guarantee our seats together. I didn't like that the Internet costs $8/ flight, but did love all the inflight options available through their app. I disliked no charging station at my seat for a 3+ hour flight.

Great! Although the flight was about 40 minutes delayed, the crew did a good job getting everything boarded quickly and efficiently.

The staff's friendliness and helpfulness make a good impression.

I am truely disappointed in the delays. I have been flying Alaska Airlines for years and years and have always had the most amazing experiences. Not what has happened with being on time. Flying from SAN to PDX delayed. Then .PRX to SAN delayed,

Alaska is a great airline, consistent, on time and friendly employees

We showed up to our gate less than 15 minutes after boarding started and they wouldn’t let us in. It was still 15 minutes even before take off so we’re weren’t even late to the flight.

Great trip. No complaints. Impressed with the crew’s response to various challenges pre-boarding.

On this flight there wer only 25 people on board. So no one in 5 rows ahead of me and noone in 7 rows behind me. So very chill.

Generally Good. Outbound flight was marred by a continuously s creaming baby. Fortunately the flight was only 90 mins long it would be nice if people traveling with small childres could be centered in one part of the plane. Also, you need to adapt your servey to include a "not applicable " option for things like food and entertainment, which are not offered on shorter flights. I fily Alaska by choice as given all the cirumstances, I fel\el you do a good job.

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.

Alaska used to be a top notch airline. With it's growth it is now in line with the big airlines. Not bad, not great.

The experience was bad. Flight was delayed to handle maintenance (understandable) but still there was some dew forming and dropping as droplets on few seats. Internet at best was allowing some browsing but at a snail pace.

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.

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

Bus to plane was delayed for no apparent reason and our luggage was still on the belt when they shut it off. Took about 20 minutes to turn it back on to get our luggage.

I haven’t flown economy in over 20 years but it was not bad. Room by my feet for my bag and seat was roomy enough. Surprised in a good way.

Second flight in a row where the entertainment system is broken. 5 hour long flight with no entertainment and flight attendants did not seem interested in resolving the matter. Very shocked to be treated this poorly considering I paid for a first class experience and have Diamond Medallion status.

The service from the flight attendants were of supreme quality. They greeted and treated everyone with a wide smile. This is totally absent nowadays. Kudos to them!!!!

My seat had no padding, it was literally plywood with a plastic cover. I could not change seats on my 10 hour flight. My excitement for this trip helped me deal with the pain.

The flights were on time- Great service Would have liked more options for food choices.

The brakes on the A220 are sensitive and uncomfortably grabby

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

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.

The flights were on time which was great give. It was holiday travel season and there’d been some weather issues. The only complaint and this is every time with United is the terrible seat design. The head rest is not built for comfort and having my neck bent forward for a cross country trip reminded me while I try not to take United flights as a rule.

This was a very average flight. The seat was out of alignment so more uncomfortable than usual. The cabin felt not well maintained. But I safely got where I needed to go.

We had a 90 minute delay due to equipment failure that was detected just before we took off. United rebooked my connecting flight.

Dinner was okay but the breakfast was not eatable on the flight San Francisco to Zurich.

This was a Lufthansa flight. Disappointing main meal. Very rough over Canada and arrival at FRA. IFE was almost unusable.

Poor seating comfort, seat cushion too thin, very uncomfortable. My luggage didi not make the flight due to equipment change. At least. United had it delivered the next day. I was without my toilet items for one day.

Flight cancelled because of the grounded 737s. United was good about it and got us onto a later Alaska Airlines flight to Oakland (not San Francisco as originally intended). Had to go through security again and my wife dropped her MacBook Pro, which broke, a $2,500 whoopsie. But we made it home.

I liked being upgraded to first class. The flight was a redeye, so I did sleep most of it.

Our flight was cancelled. They could do nothing to help us get another flight that was timely. Because the first leg was cancelled we were unable to get to our connection. We had to book on an entirely different airline for today. So we spent more money, lost a day of vacation and will never fly Frontier again, so the 'we are sorry, here is $100 credit' is a joke since we won't be flying on Frontier.

The seats were hard molded plastic covered in plastic vinyl. And the scam to charge people extra to sit together. Don’t they know we can just ask someone to trade seats. And watching the staff separate young children from parents… super classy. We had to guilt them into offering up our seats. This companies policies suck. Don’t give them your money.

Canceled original flight and wasn't clear on rebooked flight. Had to pay for bags which was more than the flight itself. Normal help, drinks etc. you have to pay for. This is Not a low cost airline.

The seats were dirty with crumbs and trash , looked it had not been cleaned up from a previous flight

Flight was cancelled and was not able to get another flight thru Frontier. Per frontier a refund was issued but I do not see a refund on my Afirm account.

We did not get to go on this flight because it got canceled 4 hours prior to scheduled time. We received an email that it got canceled and then 10 minutes later we received another email that it got delayed. It was very confusing and the only options they gave us for return flight home were 12 to 22 hours of travel time. That was not an option for us since we were traveling with kids and school started on Monday. We ended up opting for a refund and booking a flight back with Alaska. The flight ended up costing us $1500 and we had to book a hotel for the night. We will never book with frontier again.

Frontier charges 25 for the service of checking in and another 79 for a carry on. Will not take this janky air carrier again.

Frontier won’t help you at the airport without paying $25. Carry on was $75. Then you get on the plain and every beverage or snack is also a charge. Seats are hard and real packed in. I would never fly them again.

Plane could have been more on time. More leg room .

I dunno. Depressing, uncomfortable (I’m poor), but on time and efficient.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports