$18 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco Bay Area to California

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Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$18
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 10% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 8% lower on average.
Flight from Oakland to Las Vegas

Flights from San Francisco Bay Area to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from San Francisco Bay Area to California 
SarahFlew with Alaska AirlinesSFO-BURFeb 2025
Go early in the day so if your flight is canceled, you might have better alternatives than I did when my 12:30 flight was canceled.
Verified travelerFlew with Spirit AirlinesSJC-LAXNov 2024
Make sure to arrive at the airport early. On my recent flight from LAX to San Jose, the plane departed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. It seemed like all passengers were on board, and the aircraft was ready for takeoff.
MohammadFlew with Spirit AirlinesSJC-BURSep 2024
The TSA process is very short and quick. No need to come 2 hours ahead.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska AirlinesSTS-SANOct 2024
An hour before flight was enough time for departing from Santa Rosa. (I doubt anyone is at the airport and working at 4:30am).
JamesFlew with Alaska AirlinesSJC-SANJun 2024
It’s pretty simple there. It’s one of the better airports.TSA has never been a problem for me there it moves and is mostly efficient… I was happy that we didn’t have to takeoff our shoes, which surprised me. They’re always seems to be long walk to the gates coming and going not sure why that is
IreneFlew with SouthwestSFO-LAXJun 2024
Arrive a least 1 hour before boarding if you’re checking bags. Light layers due weather variation
JohnjimyFlew with ANASFO-LAXAug 2024
Layover from NRT(JPN), to SFO (US), to LAX(US) Easy if you are a United States Citizen, when you go to US Border & Customs, bring your Passport if you arrive Internationally. Remember to pick up your check baggage before moving into domestic flights, as they will check the tag for the plane you are boarding in. (They will check your baggage again). Bring your ID/DL (Real-ID COMPLIANT) with you to pass security/TSA, passport works too. SFO is pretty strict as well as LAX.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska AirlinesSFO-PSPJun 2024
SFO ~ most convenient People should prepare themselves for cold temperature inside the cabin, bring coat/jacket and food in case flight is delayed.
FatimaFlew with FrontierSFO-LAXJun 2024
Frontier requires 3hr preflight check in even on domestic flights
JulieFlew with SouthwestSFO-LAXJun 2024
Avoid flying into LAX. It’s a nightmare. Baggage claim took 40 minutes. And then the shuttle to the car rental place took an hour because there are two shuttles. The first is a local bus that makes a stop at every seven terminals and then it takes you to another place where you have to wait for your smaller shuttle to the car rental place.
JoonwonFlew with Alaska AirlinesSJC-SANApr 2024
The airplane is a quite small one, compared to the regular size, so pls be ready for some restrictions on carry on bags.
KateFlew with Alaska AirlinesSFO-PSPApr 2024
Fly in the morning when it’s not windy.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska AirlinesSTS-SNAFeb 2024
Book directly from the airline and/or get refundable tickets.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco Bay Area to California

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco Bay Area 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 San Francisco Bay Area to California.

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

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

  • Which airlines fly most frequently to California?

    San Francisco Bay Area and California are connected by different airlines. The airlines that fly that route the most regularly are United Airlines (549 flights per week), Air Canada (342 flights per week), and Southwest (318 flights per week).

  • How many airports are there in California?

    There are 30 airports in California. The busiest airport is Los Angeles Airport (LAX), with 40% of all flights arriving there.

  • Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in California?

    Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in California is San Bernardino Int Airport (SBD), with an average flight price of $95.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to California?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to California is Friday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $237. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $470 on average.

  • 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 $183 on average. Morning departures are around 22% 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 $391.

  • What is the cheapest flight to California?

    The cheapest ticket to California from San Francisco Bay Area found in the last 72 hours was to Ontario, at $47 round-trip. The most popular route is Oakland (OAK) to Los Angeles (LAX) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $89.

  • What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco Bay Area to California?

    The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco Bay Area to California is December, when tickets cost $116 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are August and May, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $220 and $218 respectively.

  • How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco Bay Area to California?

    To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco Bay Area to California, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 29% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 5 weeks before departure.

  • How many cities have direct flights to California?

    From San Francisco Bay Area, there are direct flights to California from 2 cities. The city with the most direct flights is San Francisco, with 3,563 direct flights each week.

  • How many direct flights to California are there each day?

    There are around 636 direct flights from within San Francisco Bay Area to California every day. Most flights (39%) depart in the morning.

  • How many direct flights to California are there each week?

    Each week there are around 4,449 direct flights from within San Francisco Bay Area to California. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 15% of flights taking off on this day.

  • How long is the flight to California?

    An average nonstop flight from San Francisco Bay Area to California takes 2h 22m, covering a distance of 322 miles. The shortest route is San Francisco (SFO) to Sacramento (SMF) with an average flight time of 0h 51m.

  • How many long-haul flights are there to California each week?

    There are not any long-haul (6-12 hour flight duration) or medium-haul (3-6 hour flight duration) flights to California. Instead, there are 4,449 short-haul flights (up to 3 hour flight duration), with the most arriving from San Francisco.

  • What are the most popular destinations in California?

    Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular destination is Los Angeles (24% of total searches to California). The next most popular destinations are Las Vegas (22%) and Santa Ana (17%). Searches for flights to San Diego (13%), to Ontario (12%) and to Burbank (6%) are also popular.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco Bay Area to California

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco Bay Area 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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 10000 reviews
7.8Comfort
8.1Boarding
8.5Crew
7.1Entertainment
7.1Food
Airline reviews

Departing flight to San Diego was delayed. Return flight from SD to SBP was delayed. Not terrible but not ideal

4.0 OkaySean, Jul 2025SBP - SAN
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Departing flight to San Diego was delayed. Return flight from SD to SBP was delayed. Not terrible but not ideal

Delayed flight both ways. Then, on the return flight, we were stuck on the tarmac for at least 30+ minutes. Idk what happened, but this was a bad experience.

Coffee or tea service would be nice for an evening flight, water or juice not good enough.

Big delay of over 7 hours on next leg of trip with Alaska. Would have been nice to have food or something

It was my first time flying Alaska Airlines and first time flying from Santa Rosa airport. The staff was very professional and friendly. Their instructions were clear and any question was answered satisfactorily. My seat was comfortable and the in-flight beverage service very adequate for the duration of the flight. We arrived ahead of the scheduled landing time and deplaning was simple. I look forward to flying with Alaska again.

Flight attendant took my carefully folded coat and flung it across the aisle to the bin across the way. Where one of the passengers rescued it for me, because that just wasn’t right!!

the flight was delayed twice and then delayed from taking off.

I’m New to Alaska Airlines. I was not able to connect to WiFi on either leg of my flights to/from Santa Rosa. Otherwise, it was an enjoyable ride.

All good. Great food and entertainment when there isn’t any on a one hour flight

Flight was delayed twice, I was forced to check my bag, and the only offered water or apple juice on the flight

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.

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

Boarding process, crew were good. But the seats were so uncomfortable that was all I could focus on. I literally had to sit forward so that all 3 of us could fit in row. I will try to avoid Southwest in the future for any flights over 60 minutes.

Great flight, 47 passengers on a 180 seat plane. Stewardess was pleasant and cheerful.

Great experience flying Southwest. The crew was really kind and helpful, and very friendly with our toddler.

Plane late from DC to Austin 30 minutes. Crew made up much of the time enroute to San Diego.

Fine, but how to board on SW versus othrr airlines, is just lame. Goood staff though and all was solid otherwise.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a not a great airport.

I will be flying again Southwest Airlines. Friendly crew, comfortable and affordable.

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.

My flight was delayed a very short period of time but they did not hold my connecting flight to San Diego, also through United. So they closed the doors before we got off our plane. They would only have to help the door open for another five to ten minutes. So I missed a court deadline for a manditory mediation settlement conference for my client. I had to get an associate to be there in person and be on the phone with him relaying what he needs to do the entire time. The court was very upset with me and so was my client. United cannot be trusted.

We were given vouchers we couldn’t use with a 5.5 hour delay

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.

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

Great experience…left a bit behind schedule but made up fir that in the air and landed 10 minutes early 😁

United out of SFO is having issues with catering so none of our meals were loaded on the plane and no offer of compensation for our tickets purchased was offered.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

The gate was too far away for the connecting flight

Late departure by 1:45min. No explanation why. During boarding inconsistent policing of their baggage rules. Before takeoff and lamdimg strange obsession with window shade and armrest positions. Don't know why they care. 15 min tarmac delay on arrival, they blamed airport congestion but we were the o lh flight waiting, it was clear it was due to poor staff planning (only one ground crew to receive airplanes and multiple arrivals) Got there but was rrally lame the whole trip.

Boarding was a breeze, however, two of the flights that I boarded with Spirit did not have Wi-Fi available.

Very good. Nothing more or less than expected. No complaints.

My experience with the spirit as a first time it was OK, but the seats need a little cushion, the problem I had the most impacted me was when checking in the scales were so off and wrong. It will tell that you would have more weight, which was not true. The scale was say that it had Thirty Eight Pounds, when get in the labels when we send the luggage into the band. It says that it was overweight. I really really dislike that because the scales are not accurate. If I use Spirit and I have that issue again. That will be my last time flying with the spirit, even though I like so much to service the planes, and everything else

hahaha we are delayed for one hour plus.. but thx we arrived San Diego safe

Worst airline ever! The guy weighing my bag had his foot on the metal plate and when I called him out on it, I got this stupid little smirk. La is a scam and so is Spirit Airlines. All the flight attendants looked like they hated our flight just as much as we did.

Unclear pricing; ended up being charged an extra $52 just to get onboard

Spirit is awful. Too expensive for what you get. Stop nickel and diming.

would be great to get basic water, soda at least and stop charging for carry ons

Your crew is a representation of your Standards and Values. The crew from Seattle to LAX, was very disappointing. The crew was more interested in hanging out at the lobby area. Talking, laughing loudly and eating all the snacks. They did not do regular rounds to see if customers needed anything. This was a huge disappointment. I will no longer be flying with your airlines moving forward.

Decent clean onboard experience. Okay discount airline experience. Unfortunately, any customer service interactions are difficult and unhelpful. There is no service. Also, a premium seat only gets you premium boarding if you line up first. Once they start general boarding you must go to the back of the line. Not very premium

The crew was mostly okay. The flight attendant who answered our questions was curt and unhelpful unfortunately. He seemed upset and I understand having off days.

Very bad! No good service delayed my second connection flight

They canceled flight. Hard to believe there was even a plane incoming for us to get on

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.

Plane was down graded and I lost my uncharged exit row with more leg room. No mention or offer of refund from podium. Flight attendant was nice to explain this happens often and that I could request a refund via online form submission. I did this and have heard nothing back.

Horrendous. I do not recommend Frontier. The passengers lack manners and decency, and the flight attendants lack professionalism. If I wasn’t in a bind to fly with 48 hours notice for a job interview, I would not have selected a flight with Frontier and I never plan to fly with them in the future.

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.

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.

Everything you need to know for your flight to California

Cabin class types available on flights to San Francisco Bay Area

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