$56 Find Cheap Flights from Raleigh to California

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Raleigh to California departing on 2/21. 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.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Raleigh to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Raleigh to California.
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Cheap Flights from Raleigh to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles2 stops$244
San Francisco
San Franciscononstop$289
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$235
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$167
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$195
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$300
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$394
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$318
Reno
Reno1 stop$229
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$170
Los Angeles
Los Angeles2 stops$244
San Francisco
San Franciscononstop$289
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$235
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$167
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$195
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$300
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$394
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$318
Reno
Reno1 stop$229
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$170

Book Cheap Raleigh to California Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Raleigh to California that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Raleigh to California

Mon, Feb 2 - Sat, Feb 21
Frontier Logo
7:39 pm - 12:20 am
RDU
-
ONT
7h 41m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 4:16 pm
ONT
-
RDU
7h 16m1 stop
$144Frontier
Mon, Feb 23 - Wed, Feb 25
Frontier Logo
5:11 pm - 11:59 pm
RDU
-
ONT
9h 48m1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:40 am - 4:00 pm
ONT
-
RDU
28h 20m1 stop
$145Frontier
Sat, Feb 21 - Wed, Feb 25
Southwest Logo
5:00 am - 7:25 am
RDU
-
LAS
5h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 2:40 pm
LAS
-
RDU
6h 05m1 stop
$151Southwest
Mon, Feb 23 - Fri, Feb 27
Southwest Logo
6:40 pm - 10:35 pm
RDU
-
LAS
6h 55m1 stop
Southwest Logo
11:45 pm - 10:45 am
LAS
-
RDU
8h 00m1 stop
$152Southwest
Wed, Feb 4 - Sat, Feb 7
Delta Logo
6:50 am - 9:09 am
RDU
-
LAS
5h 19mnonstop
Delta Logo
10:24 pm - 5:35 am
LAS
-
RDU
4h 11mnonstop
$157Delta
Mon, Feb 2 - Fri, Feb 6
American Airlines Logo
3:39 pm - 10:34 pm
RDU
-
LAS
9h 55m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 2:49 pm
LAS
-
RDU
5h 49m1 stop
$159American Airlines
Tue, Feb 3 - Tue, Feb 10
American Airlines Logo
1:18 pm - 8:55 pm
RDU
-
SNA
10h 37m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
8:05 am - 9:13 pm
SNA
-
RDU
10h 08m1 stop
$195American Airlines
Wed, Jan 28 - Wed, Feb 4
United Airlines Logo
3:02 pm - 8:50 pm
RDU
-
SMF
8h 48m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
7:15 am - 6:52 pm
SMF
-
RDU
8h 37m1 stop
$211United Airlines
Wed, Jan 28 - Wed, Feb 4
United Airlines Logo
1:29 pm - 6:41 pm
RDU
-
SMF
8h 12m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
11:10 am - 11:44 pm
SMF
-
RDU
9h 34m2 stops
$216United Airlines
Thu, Jan 29 - Sun, Feb 15
Delta Logo
7:05 am - 6:39 pm
RDU
-
SFO
14h 34m1 stop
Delta Logo
10:45 pm - 8:52 am
SFO
-
RDU
7h 07m1 stop
$296Delta
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Raleigh to California flights

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

What is the cheapest Raleigh to California flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to California from Raleigh found in the last 72 hours was to San Diego, at $228 round-trip. The most popular route is from Raleigh (RDU) to San Francisco (SFO), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $289.

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

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $379, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Raleigh to California, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Raleigh to California is September, when tickets cost $341 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and November, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $461 and $410 respectively.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Raleigh to California clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

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

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Raleigh to California, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Raleigh to California, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 13% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 5 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$56
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 1% increase in price.
Flight from Raleigh to San Diego

FAQs - booking California flights

  • Where are the most common layovers between Raleigh and California?

    Most flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to California will have at least one layover, but layovers on this route could be almost anywhere in the country. Some of the most common layovers on this path are at Denver International Airport (DEN) and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).

  • Does Raleigh-Durham International Airport have any lounges for passengers?

    Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) has a handful of lounges that passengers can use while waiting for flights to California. The American Airlines Admirals Club, Delta SkyClub, and United Club are all good options.

  • Which airlines welcome pets on flights from Raleigh to California?

    Several airlines will allow you to bring pets on board when you’re flying from Raleigh to California. American Airlines is one of the best in the business when it comes to accommodating pets. Your pet just needs to be small enough to fit into a soft-sided 18 x 11 x 11-inch kennel, and you must have a health certificate for your pet from your veterinarian issued within 10 days of your travel date.

  • What steps can I take to make a flight from Raleigh to California more sustainable?

    To make a flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to California more sustainable, look into flying with an airline like American Airlines or Delta. They’ve both committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050 and have strong sustainability plans in place.

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

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

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

  • 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 $399 on average. Morning departures are around 14% 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 $492.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Raleigh to the following destinations at these prices or less: San Francisco $323 one-way - $389 round-trip
  • Before you even think about trying to book a flight from Raleigh, NC, to California, you should decide which airport in California you want to fly to. You’ll have to ability to take off from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and head to a number of airports in California, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and San Diego International Airport (SAN). Smaller airports like Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) will also be options.
  • You’ll be able to fly from Raleigh to quite a few airports in California, but unfortunately, you won’t be able to fly direct in most cases. Many airlines, such as American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and United Airlines, will make at least one stop between North Carolina and California. Some will also make two or even three stops. Make it your mission to find a flight plan that only includes one stop whenever possible.
  • No matter how many stops a flight makes between Raleigh and one of the airports in California, you will likely spend at least 8 or 9 hours on a plane when you’re on your way to the West Coast. Because of this, you should look into the possibility of securing a first-class ticket for your flight. Some airlines like Frontier won't offer true first-class tickets, but others, like American Airlines and Delta, will be more than happy to extend first-class options.
  • Most of the airlines that travel from Raleigh to California will charge you baggage fees if you choose to check bags at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. American Airlines, for example, will charge you for each bag you check. You might be able to trim your travel costs by leaving your luggage at home and only bringing a carry-on bag that doesn't exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches.
  • Raleigh-Durham International Airport isn’t a hub for Delta, but it is considered a “focus city” for the airline. It’s why Delta tends to have more flights taking off from RDU and heading to California than other airlines. You may want to take advantage of this since it could help you find more convenient flight times.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Raleigh to California

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Raleigh to California. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Raleigh 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 4250 reviews
7.5Entertainment
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
Airline reviews

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

2.0 MediocreMatthew, Jan 2026
DAL - SAN
Read more Southwest reviews

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

Still a fan of open seating. Flight was on schedule and arrived on time. The 737 MAX is very comfortable.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

Delays delays delays. Late taking off, late landing, wait for a gate, etc.

Connecting flight is on time and boarding was a breeze!

Very smooth checking in our luggage with a super pleasant SW agent. I enjoyed a fun entertaining movie.

First time traveling on Southwest since bag fees were implemented. Usual good service. Just more expensive now.

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 was too crowded and seats are too small, especially since passengrs are getting larger. Having a middle seat is ALWAYS tough! Woman on my left was large & kept creeping in to my space. Flight personnel were great! Have more savory rather than sweet snacks please.

The crew took good care of us. The flight from ATL to SFO is a longer one, and there were multiple beverage offerings. I like the 757's that Delta uses. Good airplane that is comfortable. I do wish Delta would separate Priority boarding from the better seats. I would gladly take a smaller seat in an open row than be jammed into Comfort just to get priority boarding, just to make sure I don't have to check a bag.

Gate agent rushed to fill hot jetway with crowd so it took over 12 minutes to go from gate to plane. Just like a discount airline Pooly prepared cabin and third time that claim of rough air prevented any cabin service. Friends on a Southwest flight at similar time had service.

I was uncomfortably cold on the plane. Other than that it was uneventful and therefore as enjoyable as a plane ride can be.

Flight was delayed, 30+ bags had to be gate checked. Crew were very friendly!

Food was surprisingly good but the WiFi was not great

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.

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

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

Plane boarded early a quickly, was mostly full. We left close to on time. And landed early.

7 hours delayed due to operational issues on United’s end. Basically laziness.

Flight was timely, relatively comfortable, with decent entertainment and food served. Only problem encountered was with the free messaging which I highly appreciate, but it did not work from iphone to non-iphones.

The internet service I paid for didn’t work at all and the flight crew was not very friendly.

Subject: Formal Complaint: Discriminatory and Unprofessional Conduct – Request for Immediate Action & Compensation Dear [Airline Customer Relations Team], I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent travel experience with [Airline], which was by far the worst I have ever encountered. What occurred was not only unprofessional, but in several instances discriminatory, unsafe, and unacceptable. On the first leg of my trip, I arrived only four minutes past check-in. Instead of making any attempt to resolve the matter, your representative flatly denied me boarding and made me wait while she attended to passengers who arrived after me. By the time a manager intervened, it was too late to board, costing me time, money, and unnecessary frustration. The second leg of my trip (Chicago–San Francisco) raised even more serious concerns. From the outset, it was apparent that the staff—particularly two attendants—prioritized Caucasian passengers while dismissing African American and minority passengers. • When a Caucasian passenger in the exit row refused to comply with federal safety requirements, I, as a first responder, immediately offered to switch seats and assume the responsibility. My offer was blatantly ignored, and instead, a Caucasian passenger seated further up was chosen. This was discriminatory and deeply insulting, especially as I was actively de-escalating the situation that could have delayed the flight further. • During a lengthy tarmac delay of over 90 minutes, passengers were given conflicting and unreasonable instructions that created unnecessary distress and tension. • Throughout the flight, a visibly intoxicated passenger directly in front of me was disruptive, rude to others, failed to comply with seatbelt and electronic device rules, and yet faced no enforcement from the crew. In stark contrast, I was singled out for repeated compliance checks even though I was following every rule. This unequal treatment was so obvious that multiple passengers around me spoke up in my defense. This pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism, disregard for passenger safety, and discriminatory treatment. I expect far better from an airline of your stature. As a paying customer subjected to this unacceptable treatment, I am formally requesting: 1. A full investigation into the conduct of the staff on both flights. 2. A written apology acknowledging the discriminatory and unprofessional behavior I endured. 3. Appropriate compensation for the distress, inconvenience, and mishandling of my travel. If this matter is not addressed promptly and thoroughly, I will have no choice but to escalate my complaint further, including filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation and sharing my experience through other channels. I trust [Airline] will take this complaint seriously and provide a timely resolution.

Check in was quick and easy during early hours. Flight was on time, and customer services was a plus.

The flight was comfortable with the exit row and great service

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.

Loved the crew . Absolutely no complaints. Except for luggage lost

Wish some foods provided rather than just biscuit/cookie for flight more than 2 hours

Flight delayed and missed connection. Rescheduled flight cancelled after 6 hrs wait. Rerouted thru ORD, flight cancelled, overnight stay in ORD. Still in the air on new flight!

We are too tired and frustrated to comment politely at this point

Very below average , plane from Dallas to Toyko was very poor designed plane. I had to sit for 13 hours next to fat man. Really bad seat and entertainment screen sucked

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

It was ok. It was expensive to check 2 bags ($75.00 per bag), and then it took a long time to wait for shuttle to take us from one terminal to the terminal where the plane was taking off at LAX. And all of this for a flight where we had to pay for any food or drink that was not water.

It didn’t happen. I booked it and then was told it wasn’t available and then forced to pay far higher prices for a worse option

A 630departure flight Delayed 6hours! They changed my gate, I moved to the new gate. Had our flight on the screen for 12noon departure. I go get above to eat, check screen again and the flight was gone, no notice no announcement, nothing!! They sent my bag on the flight I wasn’t on, got it back to me 3days later. Thank goodness they did refund my money but I will NEVER fly them again.

Due to weather, my flight was delayed, further delayed, then canceled. I eventually got through to a support person who helped me find a different route out of MSP, but to get to DIA, they didn't want to, but eventually did help with the connection ticket purchase. But even this replacement flight was delayed time and time again, and I would have missed my connecting flights and I didn't want to get stuck in a layover city, so after 12 hours at the airport with two young boys who were very tired, we just cancelled our plans and spent the week at home, instead of Nana's.

Plane and crew on board were fine. Everything else was terrible.

The third party booking with cheapflightsfares was awful. Kayak should NOT partner with them. They sold me a bundle including seat selection and carry-on, but did not book the carry-ons with Frontier, so I’m out of pocket for $414 more while I await resolution.

This company socks. It's fraud. They canceled our flight yesterday, and today we were late because of a really long line at the check in bag. At the rebook station, there was ton of people. The workers were all rude. I am gonna make a report to FTC.

One of the worst travel experiences I've had. Had a flight scheduled with CVG to RSW on VLSWQX this morning departing at 5:30. Two individuals at the gate and one was in training. Not her fault but she didn't have the ability to check people in resulting in at least 15 families that didn't make it on the plane because they weren't checked into the system in time. When arriving at the airport to drop off our prepaid checked bags, the bag drop off agent asked if we could check our bags at the gate because of the long line. We said no problem so arrived at the gate by 5:00. They told those people that had previously paid for checked bags to stand off to the side while they let others that either didn't have a checked bag or their bag was already on the plan through. Realizing the gate workers had an issue, they either called for help or this lady showed up late for work as she didn't arrive until 5:15. The worker who had been there training the other individual and working diligently to make sure all passengers got on board. He even said that at one point all people that are currently in line are fine but asked the person in training to stand outside the ticketing area around 5:15 to notify any late travels that the flight was in boarding process and they arrrived too late. At that point, we're sill standing off to the side with our pre-paid checked bags patiently waiting. When the new lady arrived she couldn't have been more rude. It was an awful seen. Essentially they had asked for those without an assigned seat to board last, those with pre-paid checked bag stand off to the site and any traveling with a larger items that needed to be checked at the gate (such as a stroller), wait on the side. They realized that the flight needed to leave on time so the gate attendant shut the gate. So anyone without a seat assignment, those that had pre-checked bags, and the worst one I saw was a mother with two infant children was in line with use because she was asked to stand to the side because her stroller. When they shut the door to the plan they told her she could no longer get on. Her checked bags were already on the plane with her car keys in them, and the lady told her we couldn't accept anyone else on because the door was shut. She didn't even have a way to get home from the airport. Truely evil behavior. I've flown Frontier enough to know customer service is not a top priority in the company's mission, but this was an all-time low. I'm sending this after an 18 hour drive that our family just completed to Bonita Springs . I felt really bad for the lady being trained and the other individual trying to help, but when the new lady came to the gate she was truly one of the rudest individuals I've ever met. One lady had been there since 4am but because she didn't have an assigned seat they wouldn't let her on the plan.

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

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports