RDU - SMF

$115 Find Cheap Flights from Raleigh to Sacramento - Compare and Save

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$267
Typical prices: $375-$539
American Airlines
Mon 12/10Fri 12/14
RDU - SMF • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$115
Typical prices: $210-$311
Frontier
Sun 11/4
RDU - SMF • 1 stop
Nonstop flights
There are currently no direct flights between Raleigh and Sacramento. You'll need to take a connecting flight to reach the destination.
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 18 weeks in advance save around 50% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 27% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $324 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 50m (one-way)
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Insights
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Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Raleigh to Sacramento (RDU-SMF)

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Raleigh to Sacramento

Thu, Dec 10 - Mon, Dec 14
American Airlines Logo
4:22 pm - 8:56 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
7h 34m1 stop Charlotte Douglas
American Airlines Logo
10:24 pm - 9:17 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
7h 53m1 stop Charlotte Douglas
$267American Airlines
Tue, Nov 3 - Tue, Nov 10
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 10:25 amRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
7h 45m1 stop Denver Intl
Southwest Logo
11:25 am - 10:00 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
7h 35m1 stop Baltimore/Washington
$267Southwest
Wed, Feb 24 - Mon, Mar 1
Southwest Logo
4:10 pm - 9:40 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
8h 30m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Southwest Logo
12:35 pm - 10:35 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
7h 00m1 stop Baltimore/Washington
$268Southwest
Wed, Dec 9 - Wed, Jan 6
American Airlines Logo
1:57 pm - 8:19 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
9h 22m1 stop Charlotte Douglas
American Airlines Logo
1:06 pm - 10:58 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
6h 52m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
$281American Airlines
Mon, Nov 2 - Mon, Nov 9
Frontier Logo
7:37 pm - 11:04 amRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
18h 27m1 stop Denver Intl
Frontier Logo
7:36 pm - 3:23 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
16h 47m2 stops Los Angeles Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
$285Frontier
Thu, Dec 10 - Mon, Dec 14
Delta Logo
7:00 am - 12:02 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
8h 02m1 stop Salt Lake City
Delta Logo
6:15 am - 6:22 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
9h 07m1 stop Minneapolis St Paul
$297Delta
Tue, Dec 1 - Sat, Dec 5
Frontier Logo
4:24 pm - 11:30 amRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
22h 06m2 stops Houston George Bush Intcntl Denver Intl
Frontier Logo
10:36 am - 11:26 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
21h 50m2 stops Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
$345Frontier
Tue, Oct 20 - Tue, Oct 27
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 1:02 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
10h 02m2 stops Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl San Francisco
United Airlines Logo
5:25 am - 3:48 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
7h 23m1 stop Houston George Bush Intcntl
$369United Airlines
Mon, Nov 23 - Fri, Nov 27
United Airlines Logo
6:43 pm - 11:44 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
8h 01m1 stop San Francisco
United Airlines Logo
9:55 am - 9:39 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
8h 44m1 stop Chicago O'Hare Intl
$383United Airlines
Thu, Dec 10 - Mon, Dec 14
Delta Logo
7:00 am - 12:02 pmRDU  Raleigh-Durham-SMF Sacramento Intl
8h 02m1 stop Salt Lake City
Delta Logo
6:15 am - 6:22 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-RDU Raleigh-Durham
9h 07m1 stop Minneapolis St Paul
$413Delta
Booking Insights

Price, demand and travel trends for Raleigh to Sacramento flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

How much is a round-trip flight from Raleigh to Sacramento?

Round-trip flights from Raleigh to Sacramento typically range from $375 to $539. The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $267, on American Airlines.

What's the cheapest day of the week to fly from Raleigh to Sacramento?

Based on deals KAYAK users found in the last 12 months, Saturday is the cheapest day of the week to fly from Raleigh to Sacramento. It’s 12% cheaper than the average day, while Sunday is the most expensive, with prices 11% higher.

What’s the cheapest month to fly from Raleigh to Sacramento?

•January is the cheapest month to fly from Raleigh to Sacramento at $330 round-trip.
•December ($598) and November ($577) are the most expensive months.
•The price difference between flying in the cheapest and most expensive months is 81% on average.
This is based on KAYAK aggregated and averaged internal data over the past 12 months.

When are flights from Raleigh to Sacramento the cheapest?

Flights from Raleigh to Sacramento are cheapest 18 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 50% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for Raleigh to Sacramento flights

Low season

December

Cheapest flight

$115
The most popular month to fly with an average 29% increase in travelers.
One-way flight from Raleigh to Sacramento

When to book flights from Raleigh to Sacramento

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Raleigh to Sacramento based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price

Your Raleigh to Sacramento flight questions, answered

Find helpful answers about this route, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking tips.

  • What cabin classes can I book on flights from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    Two cabin classes are available on flights from Raleigh to Sacramento:

    • Economy Class
    • First Class

  • How long is a flight from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    A nonstop flight from Raleigh to Sacramento takes 00m, covering 2,338 miles.

  • Do I need a passport to fly from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

  • How much should I expect to pay for a Raleigh to Sacramento flight?

    Round-trip flights from Raleigh to Sacramento range from $375 to $539, with an average of $451 over the past 12 months. Anything below $375 counts as a good deal.

  • How expensive are last-minute Raleigh to Sacramento flights?

    Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 41% above the $451 route average. Book 18 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

  • Have flight prices from Raleigh to Sacramento changed much recently?

    Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $267 to $1,765. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

  • How are flight prices from Raleigh to Sacramento looking right now?

    One-way fares from Raleigh to Sacramento are currently higher than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $258, which is 8% above the typical average for this route.

  • What car rental options are available at Sacramento Intl Airport (SMF)?

    Sacramento Intl Airport (SMF) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $24 for economy cars. Top options include:

    • Thrifty
    • Dollar
    • Budget
    • Hertz
    • Payless

  • Which airports can I use when flying from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    Flights from Raleigh to Sacramento usually depart from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and arrive at Sacramento Intl (SMF).

  • Which airports do connecting flights from Raleigh to Sacramento pass through?

    One-stop flights from Raleigh to Sacramento most commonly connect through:

    • Denver Intl (DEN) - 17% of one-stop connections
    • Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) - 14% of one-stop connections
    • Chicago Midway (MDW) - 11% of one-stop connections
    • Charlotte Douglas (CLT) - 8% of one-stop connections

  • Can I save money by using flexible dates for flights from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 22% on flights from Raleigh to Sacramento. Saturday is the cheapest departure day at $397 round-trip on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $505, a difference of $108.

    Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

  • How much time can I save by choosing a different layover airport from Raleigh to Sacramento?

    Flying via Lambert-St Louis (STL) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 6h 50m, compared with 7h 19m via Nashville Intl (BNA) and 7h 25m via Charlotte Douglas (CLT).

  • What is the time difference between Raleigh and Sacramento?

    Sacramento is 3 hours behind Raleigh (Pacific Time vs Eastern Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

  • What popular places can I visit in Sacramento?

    Some of the most popular sights in Sacramento are Golden 1 Center, UC Davis Medical Center and Sacramento Capitol Park. These are among the most viewed places in Sacramento on KAYAK.

  • Which airline allows passengers to come on board with carry-on baggage for the flight from Raleigh (RDU) to Sacramento (SMF)?

    When you are traveling from Raleigh (RDU) to Sacramento (SMF) and don't want to have to check a bag, American Airline allows you on board with one carry-on bag and one personal item.

  • Which is the suitable airline to book for the reduced mobility traveler going between Raleigh and Sacramento?

    For the reduced mobility passengers flying from Raleigh (RDU) to Sacramento (SMF), Frontier Airline is an appropriate airline to book. This airline offers the wheelchair services that will make it easier to navigate the airport from check-in to boarding. Its on-board staff is always ready and willing to offer assistance whenever it’s needed.

  • How can I easily connect to the city center from Sacramento Airport?

    Bus is the common transportation that will get you out of Sacramento Airport to the city center. SacRT's Route 142 bus line is the easiest means of getting you downtown. You can also consider airport express shuttle bus. It can also get you to the city center after your arrival at the airport. In both cases, though, you are limited to the bus or shuttle schedule. For more flexibility, consider a ride-share service or rental car.

  • Which is the mosteco-friendly airline I can book when flying to Sacramento (SMF) from Raleigh (RDU)?

    Spirits Airline is one of the most eco-friendly airlines you can book when you are flying from Raleigh to Sacramento. This airline has an increased fuel efficiency that is measured by available seat mile per gallon.

Your guide to booking Raleigh to Sacramento flights

Get tips on when to book, when to fly and what to know before your trip.
  • If your dates are flexible, aim for a Saturday departure and avoid flying on Sunday. On this route, Saturday flights average $397, about $108 less than Sunday fares (21% savings) based on the last 12 months.
  • For the best chance at a low fare, aim to book around 18 weeks before you fly. On this route, that window historically saves about 50% versus last-minute pricing (KAYAK booking data, last 12 months).
  • If you can choose when to travel, plan your Raleigh to Sacramento trip for January. Fares historically average $330 round-trip in that month - typically $268 less than the most expensive month, which is December (based on the last 12 months).
  • Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) are the main as departure and arrival airports respectively for most of the flights flying from Raleigh to Sacramento. Choosing of this route for your journey will enable you book your flight with any of the five top airlines serving it. These airlines include JetBlue, American, United, Frontier, and Spirit Airlines.
  • If you are among those pet-loving travelers who like flying in the company of their furry friend, you can choose a pet-friendly airline when flying from Raleigh to Sacramento. United Airline allows its passengers to come on board with their pets so long as the carrier fits underneath the seat in front of you.
  • When traveling from Raleigh (RDU) to Sacramento (SMF) on Frontier Airlines, you will have one stop along your way before reaching your destination airport. Denver International Airport (DEN) is the main layover airport you will have along your way. There is also the option of having two stops or flying direct depending on the airline you book.
  • When you are planning to travel with your family from Raleigh (RDU) to Sacramento (SMF) with your kids, JetBlue Airline is a kid-friendly choice. It has amenities like in-flight entertainment appropriate for kids, such as kids` games and kids` movies to enhance your family's journey.
  • When you are in Raleigh downtown and you need to reach Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) for your flight to Sacramento, you can take a bus. Buses are the most reliable and convenient means of transport operating between Raleigh downtown and the airport.

More options for your flight from Raleigh to Sacramento

Complete your trip to Sacramento with a hotel stay or car rental