SMF - RDU

$122 Find Cheap Flights from Sacramento to Raleigh

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Sacramento to Raleigh departing on 12/8. 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

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Sacramento to Raleigh, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Sacramento to Raleigh, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flights from Sacramento to Raleigh (SMF-RDU)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Sacramento to Raleigh 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 Sacramento to Raleigh

Fri, Oct 31 - Thu, Nov 6
Frontier Logo
12:58 pm - 10:43 pmSMF-RDU
30h 45m2 stops
Frontier Logo
5:21 pm - 12:03 pmRDU-SMF
21h 42m1 stop
$246Frontier
Find Deal
Mon, Nov 3 - Thu, Nov 6
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:58 pm - 7:18 pmSMF-RDU
27h 20m2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:21 pm - 12:03 pmRDU-SMF
21h 42m1 stop
$278Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Dec 25 - Thu, Jan 1
Delta Logo
5:30 am - 5:11 pmSMF-RDU
8h 41m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 12:13 pmRDU-SMF
9h 13m1 stop
$297Delta
Find Deal
Sat, Feb 21 - Sat, Feb 28
American Airlines Logo
12:31 pm - 10:04 pmSMF-RDU
6h 33m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
5:08 am - 11:46 amRDU-SMF
9h 38m1 stop
$308American Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Oct 31 - Sat, Nov 8
United Airlines Logo
11:36 am - 11:41 pmSMF-RDU
9h 05m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 6:56 pmRDU-SMF
8h 26m1 stop
$309United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 19 - Mon, Nov 24
Delta Logo
11:14 am - 11:58 pmSMF-RDU
9h 44m1 stop
Delta Logo
7:40 pm - 11:57 pmRDU-SMF
7h 17m1 stop
$311Delta
Find Deal
Sat, Feb 21 - Sat, Feb 28
American Airlines Logo
12:31 pm - 10:04 pmSMF-RDU
6h 33m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
4:19 pm - 10:39 pmRDU-SMF
9h 20m2 stops
$313American Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Feb 15 - Sat, Feb 21
United Airlines Logo
7:02 am - 5:09 pmSMF-RDU
7h 07m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
3:03 pm - 10:36 pmRDU-SMF
10h 33m2 stops
$324United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 3 - Sat, Dec 6
Southwest Logo
11:25 am - 8:55 pmSMF-RDU
6h 30m1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:50 am - 11:00 amRDU-SMF
8h 10m1 stop
$337Southwest
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 3 - Sat, Dec 6
Southwest Logo
8:55 am - 9:20 pmSMF-RDU
9h 25m2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:50 am - 11:00 amRDU-SMF
8h 10m1 stop
$342Southwest
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Frontier
Cheapest • from $246 (round-trip)
Southwest
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 31% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
August
Cheapest • 23% price drop
December
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest round-trip
$246
Overall average: $379
Frontier
Fri 10/31Thu 11/6
SMF - RDU • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$122
Typical prices: $172-$418
Frontier
Mon 12/8
SMF - RDU • 2 stops
Start a new search
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We hope you love your trip to Raleigh!
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Sacramento to Raleigh flights

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

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

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

When flying from Sacramento to Raleigh, you should consider leaving on a Tuesday and avoid Mondays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Sacramento, you’ll find the best rates on Saturdays and the most expensive ones on Thursdays.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Sacramento to Raleigh, 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 Sacramento to Raleigh is August, where tickets cost $316 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are November and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $536 and $496 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Sacramento to Raleigh, 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 Sacramento to Raleigh, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 31% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 11 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$122
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 1% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 20% increase in price.
Flight from Sacramento to Raleigh

When to book flights from Sacramento to Raleigh

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Sacramento to Raleigh based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Sacramento to Raleigh

  • What is the luggage allowance on Alaska Airlines flights from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    The luggage allowance on Alaska Airlines flights from Sacramento to Raleigh typically includes one personal item and one carry-on bag at no additional cost. The maximum size allowance for the carry-on bag is 22 × 14 × 9 inches. The first checked bag fee can be waived for specific fare classes or for eligible credit card holders. The maximum weight allowed for each checked bag is typically 50 lbs.

  • Can I change or cancel flights from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    Yes, it is typically possible to change or cancel flights from Sacramento to Raleigh, but the specific policies and fees associated with changes and cancellations may vary by airline and fare type. Generally, American Airlines allows passengers to make changes or cancel their flights, but may charge fees or require certain fare types to be eligible for changes or cancellations.

  • How do I get from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to the city center?

    There are multiple transportation options available for travelers to get from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to the city center. Uber or taxi services are available from the airport to Downtown Raleigh and typically take around 20 minutes. The GoTriangle bus system also offers multiple routes with service to and from the airport. Route 100 runs directly to Downtown Raleigh and takes around 40 minutes. Rental cars are also available at the airport for travelers who prefer to drive themselves.

  • What services are offered to first-class passengers on United Airlines flights from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    First-class passengers on United Airlines flights from Sacramento to Raleigh are typically provided with a range of services designed to enhance their travel experience. United Airlines offers several types of premium cabin services, including United First, United Polaris, and United Business. Some of these services include priority boarding, spacious and comfortable seating, premium food and beverage options, in-flight entertainment, and personalized service.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Sacramento to Raleigh was $122 for a one-way ticket and $246 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Sacramento and Raleigh?

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Sacramento to Raleigh. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    When flying out of Sacramento you will be using Sacramento Intl. You will be landing at Raleigh, also known as Raleigh-Durham.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between Sacramento and Raleigh, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Sacramento to Raleigh, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Sacramento to Raleigh are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $466 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $381 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    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 Sacramento to Raleigh.

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

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

    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 to Raleigh with an airline and back to Sacramento with another airline. Booking your flights between Sacramento and RDU can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Sacramento to Raleigh?

    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 to Raleigh from Sacramento up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Sacramento to Raleigh

  • JetBlue Airlines allows small cats and dogs to travel in the cabin on flights from Sacramento (SMF) to Raleigh (RDU), as long as the combined weight of the pet and carrier does not exceed 20 lbs. Only dogs and cats are allowed on JetBlue flights, and a maximum of six pets are permitted per flight for all passengers.
  • Southwest Airlines offers a variety of services for passengers with reduced mobility on flights from Sacramento to Raleigh. These services include boarding assistance where airline personnel will help board and disembark the plane and help in stowing their carry-on bags, and assist with other tasks as needed.
  • Frontier Airlines offers a wide range of services for families traveling with kids on flights from Sacramento to Raleigh. The airline offers family seating to ensure that families are seated together on the flight, stroller assistance for families traveling with infants and in-flight entertainment that includes movies, and games suitable for kids.
  • Flights from Sacramento to Raleigh often have layovers in different cities based on the airline you choose. Some of these layovers include New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Denver (DEN), and Chicago (MDW).
  • American Airlines operates flights from Sacramento to Raleigh and aims to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 45% and is investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as part of a strategy to reduce its carbon footprint.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Sacramento to Raleigh

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Sacramento to Raleigh. 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 Sacramento to Raleigh? 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 4241 reviews
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
Airline reviews

As always, the entire Southwest experience was wonderful, from online booking to flight to baggage retrieval. Very grateful.

10.0 ExcellentRobert, Sep 2025SFO - LAS
Read more Southwest reviews

As always, the entire Southwest experience was wonderful, from online booking to flight to baggage retrieval. Very grateful.

The weather could have been better. There was a 40 minute ATC delay in SFO because of marine fog and a micro cell storm delayed landing and take-off at Nashville. The gate was changed 5 minutes from boarding from gate B3 to gate C23 at Nashville airport.

The cabin was quiet for the redeye flight. The area was clean. The staff was great. The 787 Max was in good condition. Drawbacks were that the seat widths were tight for some passengers. The seat padding was at best average and for a long flight uncomfortable.

southwest just starting charging for luggage. hadnt realized it until it was too late. now out $70 when i couldve bought a carry on if i wouldve known. free bags was one of the only reasons i chose southwest over another airline (the other being no assigned seats, which is apparently also being changed). stupid business decision. wont be flying southwest anymore.

Delayed flight. Nicest crew member was a SW pilot flying seated next to me who kindly move to seat the final passenger. Flight extra delayed. My cup of refreshment of ginger ale was so packed with ice it was literally 2 sips.

No trays in our seats, we sat in first row, purchased a business class fare. Had to hold our drinks and snack in our hands. No plugs for our cell phones. Had to pay for it a drink cocktail each. Seats so uncomfortable.

Flight wasn’t even full, but too many carry-ons caused us to run out of bin space. New bag fee has folks who would usually check their bags carrying on. Watching Southwest morph into Spirit/Frontier is so sad to watch

Cluster mess boarding. Can't wait for SWA reserved seating. Internet didn't seem to work on the plane.

Southwest is Southwest. No frills. If you're luck enough to get a happy crew (we did), then it makes for a nicer flight.

The price of the tickets isn't matching the flight experience. No matter how long the flight is, you're only getting pretzels. The flight attendants looked unkept and over it.

Delayed flight (1hour) plus a long layover after an overnight flight with no backup plane available.

Flight delayed for two and half hours and then canceled altogether due to mechanical issues. No mechanic onsite to fix so had to send one from LAX.

Great experience on Delta. Staff from baggage check to flight attendants were very courteous and professional. My only issue was a personal preference for pretzels instead of the chips and cookies that were offered.

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

Crew was excellent. Comfort seats not as nice as other kinds of planes.

It was a great flight and the stewards and stewardess were all kind and accommodating!! The seats were comfortable and entertainment screen excellent!

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

There was a security issue at the airport and we were unable to land. We circled endlessly and then landed at another airfield for fuel. We then circled the airport again, almost landed but didn’t fully touch down before circling again. I am thankful to the crew for keeping us safe- the issue was the airline and staff at the airport getting us seats on our connecting flights. That part was hours of searching for someone and getting in double my steps.

Most aspects were good however if they assign boarding zones they ought to enforce them or why bother? My luggage from SAN-JFK-MAD was lost in NY so I without my main bag for two days upon arrival in Spain. They were helpful in tracking it and eventually delivered it to my hotel. The flub was because of a delay upon arrival in NYC. I had booked 2 1/2 hours between flights but we had to hold on the taxiway for an hour after landing while waiting for a clear gate which likely caused the baggage error.

Excellent flight, the planes were newer, they did a nice job with boarding, great service overall.

The LH flight was great except for the delay at boarding. It should be announced well in tme.

I was in first class. The outlets at my seat did not work. The plane was shabby and run down. I had prepurchsed a day subscription for internet that was not redeemable. I had to repurchase the internet for my flight and then it didn’t work anyway. Quite disappointed in what was supposed to be the launch of a great vacation.

I understand stuff happens, but plane failures are likely due to lack of maintenance. Additionally, air conditioning wasn't working, no snack/drink service, no WiFi. Fortunately, the crew was communicative and light-hearted. United grabbed another plane and we were able to get to our destination.

Stuck on tarmac for two hours plus a 5.5 hour flight. Rude flight attendant. And no meals, not even for purchase!

I learned that seating towards the end of plane that a line forms for the restroom and people use your chair as a hand railing, bumping your seat consistently. I was seated in the aisle. I think that next time if I am towards the back row I would want to sit in the middle or window seat.

United sent me a mileage plus number last year but that number is invalid so I can’t use it to check into flights or collect mileage. There is human to speak about the problem, only computers who keep asking me if I am using the correct email. It’s so frustrating and I cannot resolve it.

Not a great experience. We paid for the upgrade for premium economy seats and seated ourselves in very comfortable seats. Someone came along with the same seat on their boarding pass. The aircraft had been changed and as a result we were booted out and sent further back to small uncomfortable seats. After complaining we were moved to emergency row seats, which gave us more leg room but the seats don’t recline. For people in our 70’s we found having to sit upright from California to NJ very uncomfortable. Not sure why they chose to move senior citizens instead of the two people that were allowed to take the more comfortable seats. Not happy.

Everything was great. Only thing that could’ve made it better was buy on board options for hot food, but the snacks were decent. The flight attendants were great. I had no complaints. I was able to make it to my destination safely

Boarded plane and then delayed 1.5 hours while on the plane

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

Mostly good. Flight was crowded but Airline personnel were very friendly & accommodating. It would be good to have savory snacks rather than just sweet Biscoff cookies.

We had 3 flights. 1 & 2 were on the same plane but we had to de-board just to re-board 30 mins later. That may have been due to a crew change though. Our 3rd flight had a couple “maintenance” issues that held us up. They were quickly resolved but it took forever for someone to bring the paperwork needed so we could leave. Apparently there was a computer glitch so a driver had to bring a physical copy. It delayed us about 1 1/2 hrs. The flights themselves were smooth & no problems. For boarding, I don’t know why they don’t start with the back of the plane & move forward. It would eliminate the back up from people trying to find their seats & put their bags in the overhead bins. Unless you’re on an overseas flight, there is no food, you get a beverage & either a small bag of pretzels or a biscuit cookie. Take your own food or snacks of you want something more.

The actual trip was fine, however, the changes made to our flights and the layovers were had to endure were awful.

Most things were ok but the main problem was the cabin staff; they were very abrupt and not very friendly. They were busy and often rushed, snatching drinks off people before finished and bossing them about.

Given it’s a red-eye into Charolotte, we didn’t get any food. The survey does not include “N/A” so the rating will be skewed.

The seat was so hard my tailbone was aching The crew was kind of a b**** because I made a joke that I didn't care if they close the door I total c*** when she was trying to f****** act like she was mad at me because I said that The flight was bumpy. Sure you didnt have control over that.

We fly American Airlines quite a bit. And we always fly business class when traveling internationally. We were a bit disappointed with the comfort of this particular plane as well as the entertainment options.

The comfort of the seats was great, the crew eased my child’s anxieties and the fact that I had full cans of my beverage choice was great.

We had to turn around and head back to Manchester. Problem with a plane engine.

Overall very good, only complaint I have is the crew from CLT to SAT could have collected trash sooner.

Everyone seemed to be in zone 1 for boarding. Maybe break it up a little. Otherwise, smooth flight.

This airline sucks. They offer low rates then charge you for everything, the app does not work well, the seats are the most uncomfortable. Maintenance issues on the flight, and you still have to sit through their credit card commercials. People are nice enough but does not make up for overall poor experience.

Finally a Frontier on time and efficient. I've had problems before with your airline, but this time everything went fine.

Frontier is terrible. Paid for exit row, not given exit row, refused to refund fee.

Cancelled flight after I arrived at airport after 75 min drive and parking. Next flight was 4 days in the future. Had to scramble and buy a much more expensive flight on another carrier.

I liked the turn-style feature at gate 209B at LAX. Very efficient process. The gate staff also made several, clearly directed announcements so I felt very informed.

The seats were awful, hard plastic covered in sheet vinyl. The airline tries to scam you into paying extra to get seat together when the flight wasn’t full. They were going to separate a family with young children but my wife who had a row to herself gave up her seat so the young mom could be with her young boys. I’m never giving this airline my money again.

It was a short flight so no food or entertainment….

Frontier had yet another flight cancellation. Have never made a complete round trip with this airline without at least one leg getting cancelled. Miserable flights - dirty, uncomfortable planes that apparently always have issues since I've had multiple delays and cancellations with them.

Flight was delayed 3 times, would have been nice to have received text message instead of email notifications. Frontier app wasn’t even updated accordingly, no gate number disclosed. No agent at front desk of gate to inform of delay. Very confused and left if the dark

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

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