SMF - SNA

$91 Find Cheap Flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) - Compare and Save

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 Santa Ana departing on 10/8. 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.
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1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$237
Typical prices: $195-$413
Southwest
Sun 9/6Fri 9/11
SMF - SNA • Non-stop
Cheapest one-way
$91
Typical prices: $144-$359
Frontier
Thu 10/8
SMF - SNA • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $237 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with Southwest. Average duration is 1h 29m
Direct flights
Direct flights
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Direct flights
Direct flights
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Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $354 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 4h 38m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 48% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 16% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Sacramento to Santa Ana (SMF-SNA)

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

Sun, Sep 6 - Fri, Sep 11
Southwest Logo
3:55 pm - 5:25 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 30mnonstop
Southwest Logo
2:25 pm - 3:55 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 30mnonstop
$237Southwest
Sat, Sep 5 - Sun, Sep 6
Southwest Logo
4:45 pm - 6:10 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
11:20 am - 12:55 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 35mnonstop
$237Southwest
Thu, Nov 26 - Thu, Nov 26
Southwest Logo
6:20 am - 7:50 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 30mnonstop
Southwest Logo
1:55 pm - 3:25 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 30mnonstop
$237Southwest
Wed, Sep 16 - Thu, Sep 24
Frontier Logo
6:23 pm - 5:15 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 52m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Frontier Logo
4:35 pm - 6:59 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
26h 24m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$247Frontier
Wed, Sep 16 - Thu, Sep 24
Frontier Logo
6:23 pm - 5:15 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 52m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Frontier Logo
4:35 pm - 6:59 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
26h 24m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$248Frontier
Thu, Sep 24 - Mon, Sep 28
Frontier Logo
8:37 am - 5:15 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
8h 38m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Frontier Logo
4:35 pm - 5:28 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
24h 53m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$251Frontier
Tue, Sep 15 - Tue, Sep 22
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:23 pm - 5:40 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
23h 17m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 5:28 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
9h 58m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$259Multiple Airlines
Sun, Sep 20 - Sat, Sep 26
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:23 pm - 5:15 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 52m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 7:48 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
24h 18m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$265Multiple Airlines
Mon, Sep 7 - Fri, Sep 11
United Airlines Logo
6:42 am - 12:06 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
5h 24m1 stop San Francisco
United Airlines Logo
6:32 pm - 11:57 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
5h 25m1 stop San Francisco
$269United Airlines
Thu, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 6
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 12:06 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
5h 36m1 stop San Francisco
United Airlines Logo
6:15 pm - 11:57 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
5h 42m1 stop San Francisco
$269United Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Sacramento to Santa Ana flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Sacramento to Santa Ana, California?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Sacramento to Santa Ana, California departing in September.

Flight prices are typical for this route right now.

Flights to Santa Ana, California from Sacramento usually cost between $235 and $461 in September.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $237 on Southwest (Sep 6-Sep 11).

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

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

When flying from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana), you should consider leaving on a Saturday 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 Wednesdays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Sacramento to Santa Ana, 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) is August, where tickets cost $307 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are April and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $424 and $398 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

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 $313, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

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 Santa Ana, 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana), you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 48% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 16 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Sacramento to Santa Ana

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Esther Carlstone

Esther Carlstone

Expert on SNA

Esther Carlstone is a travel and food writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in publications such as Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Forbes, Tripadvisor, Insider, and more.

Bill Fink

Bill Fink

Expert on SMF

Bill is an award-winning travel writer with extensive credits covering airlines and the aviation industry for publications including AARP, AFAR, The Points Guy and Yahoo. Based in Portland, Oregon, Bill has traveled to more than 75 countries - and been late for his flight in most of them. He once achieved top-level frequent flier status for all of American, Delta and United Airlines during a single year.

Good to know

Low season

August

Cheapest flight

$91
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 12% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 15% increase in price.
Flight from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)

When to book flights from Sacramento to Santa Ana

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Sacramento to Santa Ana 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)

  • Are there on-site hotels at SMF?

    There are many hotels at or close to the airport where you can seek accommodation if you have scheduled an early departure from SMF and need a place to stay the night. Four Points by Sheraton Sacramento, Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites are some of the ideal hotels to choose from, depending on your preferences. As a result, you will avoid the early morning commute and the risk of missing your flight.

  • Can I use public transit from downtown Sacramento to SMF?

    There are numerous modes of transport available from Sacramento's downtown to SMF. You can decide to drive, use a taxi, or use a rideshare app to order Uber, which will take approximately 24min to arrive at the airport. Alternatively, you can opt for the express airport shuttle bus that regularly runs every 20-30min between the airport terminals and downtown Sacramento and takes approximately 35min to get to the airport.

  • How can I fly from SMF to SNA?

    Southwest Airlines is the most common airline offering nonstop flights between SMF and SNA routes. However, if you want to save some dollars, you can opt for a number of one-stop option flights, such as Spirit Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines and United Airlines, usually with stops at LAS and SLC airports. However, this will generally add at least 3h to your overall travel time.

  • Can I sleep at SNA?

    It is not illegal to sleep at SNA airport. However, it is not the most comfortable place where you can spend the night as it features wooden benches. If you want to sleep at the airport in comfort, consider carrying a blanket, travel mattress and a pillow. Nonetheless, you can choose to book a room at one of the many hotels within the airport.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) was $91 for a one-way ticket and $237 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Sacramento and John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    A passport is not required to fly from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana).

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    On your way to John Wayne (Santa Ana), you’ll fly out from Sacramento Intl. You’ll be landing at Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between Sacramento and John Wayne (Santa Ana).

  • On which days can I fly direct from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    There are nonstop flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana), Southwest or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana) are Southwest and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $384 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $306 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana).

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) with an airline and back to Sacramento with another airline. Booking your flights between Sacramento and SNA 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $165 or less one-way and $249 or less round-trip.
  • There is always much to do at both the departure and arrival airports. Connect to the free Wi-Fi that is available throughout the airport terminals to stay in touch with loved ones. You can have a 10min massage at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) in Terminal B before boarding your aircraft. On the other hand, there are a variety of lounges at SMF and John Wayne Santa AnaInternational Airport (SNA) where you can relax.
  • Nursing mothers will find exceptional Mamave pods in Terminal A and B at SMF. The nursing suites are furnished with a sink, a baby changing table, comfortable chairs and power outlets suitable for pumping and breastfeeding.
  • If you are arriving at John Wayne Santa Ana International Airport and are looking forward to catching up on unfinished work, SNA features multiple workstations that you can take advantage of without any incremental fee. The stations are located at Terminal C of the airport.
  • There are many food concessions that you can visit if you are feeling hungry at SMF. However, these food booths run on a variety of schedules, with some opening as early as 4 am and most closing by 9 pm. There are no 24h dining alternatives at the airport. You will find 13 eateries at B and 9 in Terminal A. The best part is the two terminals feature vending machines.
  • Passengers can ask for help at the information counter in SNA airport if they have any questions or are looking for particular information. The information desk is located in the baggage claim areas, across from carousels 2 and 3. You can also look for ambassadors with red vests.

Prefer to fly direct from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Sacramento Intl to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty.
Find which airlines fly direct from Sacramento Intl Airport to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Sacramento Intl to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty

Monday

Southwest

Southwest

Tuesday

Southwest

Southwest

Wednesday

Southwest

Southwest

Thursday

Southwest

Southwest

Friday

Southwest

Southwest

Saturday

Southwest

Southwest

Sunday

Southwest

Southwest

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty to Sacramento Intl

Monday

Southwest

Southwest

Tuesday

Southwest

Southwest

Wednesday

Southwest

Southwest

Thursday

Southwest

Southwest

Friday

Southwest

Southwest

Saturday

Southwest

Southwest

Sunday

Southwest

Southwest

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Sacramento to Santa Ana

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Sacramento to John Wayne (Santa Ana). 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 Santa Ana? 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 4216 reviews
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Was fine, delayed and feels like southwest is always late

6.0 GoodAnonymous, Jun 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Was fine, delayed and feels like southwest is always late

Sacrament staff are always polite and helpful. Airport is easy to maneuver and boarding is straightforward.

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

I liked the crew member who gave flight instructions on "in case of a problem:. The seats are so small that only a young teenager could sit in middle seat.

Great flight staff. Ease of boarding. Overall, very uneventful and easy trip.

The open seating makes passengers boarding ahead of you think they also have the right to the empty middle seat. Trumper next to me refused to move her laptop bag from my leg area. I did not make a fuss since it was a short flight.

Three delays that got us home hours later than expected.

Friendly and efficient service. On time departure and earlier arrival.

Flight was on time. Friendly staff and flight was smooth. We Love Southwest.

I had a great flight from Sacramento to San Diego on 2024-09-20 (at 9:00 am). Everything worked well, the crew was pleasant and efficient. Thank you!

Destroyed my suitcase. Tired of talking about it. Cancelling my unite mileage plus account.

The crew was great. Very friendly and responsive. The plane was old, small and tight. We ran out of overhead space and I had to check. Middle seat was particularly tight.

I had a cancelled flight because of technical issues going to my destination, and a delayed flight coming home. All told it wasn’t a total bust.

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

Women boarding passengers at the gate was absolutely rude and disrespectful of passengers. The flight attendant was absolutely delightful! Smiling and connected with the passengers. So happy. The seats are cramped and uncomfortable but I guess that’s just the way it is Communication regarding flight was excellent

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

The control panel for the seat back screen did not work at all after takeoff.

The crew was nice but the people going to Orange County are so entitled. Everyone thinks everything is suppose for be perfect for them. Tough crowd.

Flight attendant was sincerely mean -- a true disgrace to an otherwise pretty crummy company anyway. Really embarrassing. I actually feel bad for United.

How they treated my luggage was horrible. And foods are not edible… Flight attendants were not listening my request. Etc

I really didn't like anything. Paid for my checked luggage online ($79) and then was told that I would have to paid another $79 for my carry on. Was not allowed to enter the terminal until 3 hours before my flight and when I finally was allowed to check my bag and enter, my flight was delayed 3 times. When I finally landed, we were all instructed to "run off the plane" as they had to do a quick turn around to Las Vegas. Me and several of my flying companions will never fly Frontier again.

Our flight was canceled. I will never use Kayak nor Frontier for travel again. The entire experience was a headache.

I think Frontier was very good at communication. Their app worked very well. Loading was great and the flight was nice and easy.

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.

Everything went as planned. Crew was great. Seats were still not that comfortable.

No frills for sure. No gate announcements about flight delay, not even water to drink on the flight.

Stop changing gates at sfo. When you are elderly going back for it’s not fun.

Literally everything could have been better. Why are the planes always late?

I had to cancel within 1hour of the reservation an they put you through hell to . no live customer service desk. I'm handy caped and they make it almost impossible to cancel. They are steeling my money. You should not have that airline on your site. Contact me and I will give you all info. Of what the are doing to me just notable treatment they are set up like that to take people

Frontier is a no-frills airlines were the focus is low cost. You get basic service so don't set your expectations high. Watch out thought because this airline, like a few others, will try to nickel and dime you.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Sacramento to Santa Ana

Other airlines flying from Sacramento to Santa Ana

Flights from the other most popular airlines that fly from Sacramento to Santa Ana according to KAYAK users. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability are not guaranteed.