SNA - SMF

$100 Find Cheap Flights from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento - 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 Santa Ana to Sacramento departing on 8/27. 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

Save 21% or more on flights. Compare deals from all over the web.

Never overpay with our price tracking tools.

Filter searches by price, airline and more to find your best flights.

Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$192
Typical prices: $318-$605
Frontier
Thu 8/27Sat 8/29
SNA - SMF • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$237
Typical prices: $232-$379
Southwest
Sat 9/5Sun 9/6
SNA - SMF • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $192 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with Southwest. Average duration is 1h 31m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $336 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 3h 30m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 6 weeks in advance save around 57% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 34% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Sacramento!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

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

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

Thu, Aug 27 - Sat, Aug 29
Frontier Logo
9:39 am - 10:57 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
25h 18m1 stop Denver Intl
Frontier Logo
11:42 am - 8:54 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
21h 12m1 stop Denver Intl
$192Frontier
Thu, Nov 5 - Sat, Nov 7
Frontier Logo
11:06 am - 10:50 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
23h 44m1 stop Denver Intl
Frontier Logo
11:45 am - 10:11 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 26m1 stop Denver Intl
$192Frontier
Thu, Sep 17 - Mon, Sep 21
Frontier Logo
4:35 pm - 11:55 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
19h 20m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Frontier Logo
12:50 pm - 5:15 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
4h 25m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$192Frontier
Thu, Sep 17 - Sat, Sep 19
Frontier Logo
4:35 pm - 11:55 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
19h 20m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Frontier Logo
11:53 am - 11:05 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
23h 12m1 stop Denver Intl
$192Frontier
Sat, Sep 5 - Sun, Sep 6
Southwest Logo
2:30 pm - 4:00 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 30mnonstop
Southwest Logo
12:00 pm - 1:30 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 30mnonstop
$237Southwest
Sat, Sep 5 - Sat, Sep 5
Southwest Logo
7:30 am - 8:55 amSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
4:45 pm - 6:10 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 25mnonstop
$237Southwest
Sat, Sep 5 - Sun, Sep 6
Southwest Logo
10:40 am - 5:40 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
7h 00m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
Southwest Logo
3:55 pm - 5:25 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
1h 30mnonstop
$247Southwest
Wed, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 15
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
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
$259Multiple Airlines
Tue, Oct 27 - Thu, Oct 29
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 6:32 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
11h 02m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:15 pm - 5:35 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 20m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$260Multiple Airlines
Wed, Oct 28 - Fri, Oct 30
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 6:32 pmSNA  Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty-SMF Sacramento Intl
11h 02m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:15 pm - 5:40 pmSMF  Sacramento Intl-SNA Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty
22h 25m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
$265Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

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

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

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

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

Flight prices are below average for this route right now.

Flights to Sacramento from Santa Ana, California usually cost between $318 and $605 in September.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $192 on Frontier (Sep 17-Sep 19).

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

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

If you are looking for a flight deal from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento, look for departures on Saturdays and avoid leaving on a Wednesday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Sacramento, Saturday is the cheapest day to fly and Monday is the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Santa Ana to Sacramento, 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento is September, where tickets cost $285 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are February and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $604 and $575 respectively.

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

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 $366, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Santa Ana to Sacramento, 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento, you should book around 6 weeks before departure, which saves you about 57% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Santa Ana to Sacramento

 
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

December

Cheapest flight

$100
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 27% increase in price.
Flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento

When to book flights from Santa Ana to Sacramento

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

  • Is there a playing area at SNA?

    A 'Wish lounge' has been created at SNA, allowing children to have a play area. If you travel with your children, they can enjoy the facility, which contains reading books, games, coloring activities, giant teddy bears, and photo creation.

  • How early should you arrive for a domestic flight at SNA?

    The security screening doesn't take quite some time as SNA is equipped with high-security tools making the process less complicated. It would be best if you arrived at least 2h early at the airport. This will give you adequate time to go through the security checkpoints for your flight.

  • Are there rental car services at SMF?

    There are several car rental services at SMF. Their desks are located at the rental terminal, which you can access via a free shuttle service connecting the airport terminal. If you do not want to rent a car, taxis, shuttles, and buses can ride from SMF to Sacramento.

  • Can I get assisted travel services on my flight from SNA to SMF?

    If you require assisted travel services on your flight from SNA to SMF, you should contact the airline you intend to travel with at least 72h before your flight. Contacting your airline this early will give its staff adequate time to plan for the assistance you need.

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

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento was $100 for a one-way ticket and $192 for a round-trip.

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

    No

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

    When flying out of John Wayne (Santa Ana) you will be using Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty. You will be landing at Sacramento, also known as Sacramento Intl.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento are Southwest and Frontier. With an average price for the route of $429 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Frontier is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $213 and an overall rating of 5.6.

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

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento.

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

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

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

    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 Sacramento from John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Sacramento

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $153 or less one-way and $287 or less round-trip.
  • There are several lounges found at John Wayne Airport (SNA). A USO lounge caters to active military personnel and family members of the military personnel. It's located at Terminal B, adjacent to the baggage carousel 4. There is also the American Airlines Admirals club located at Terminal A, which caters to travelers traveling aboard American Airlines flights. The American Airlines Admiral club operates from Monday to Saturday from 05:30 am to 08:45 pm while on Sunday, it operates from 06:30 am to 08:45 pm.
  • If you are traveling to Sacramento from SNA with your baby, you can easily breastfeed your baby and change his/her diapers while waiting for your flight. This is because SNA offers a dedicated nursing facility located at Terminal B, between gates 11 and 12. This nursing room features a comfortable seat, power outlets you can use to charge your breastfeeding pump, a deep sink, and curtains that enhance privacy.
  • The transportation you will use to get to SNA will be determined by how fast you would like to get to the airport and how much you are willing to part with as fare. If you want to get to SNA quickly, it's in your best interest to board a taxi, whereas taking a bus is recommended if you would like to travel cheaply. Alternatively, if you want to balance cost and speed, it's advisable to board one of the metro trains that travel to the airport.
  • If you are driving to SNA, you can park your car at either an off-site or onsite parking space. Main street parking is the cheapest of all the available slots. It would be best to park at the off-site parking lots as it's cheaper than the onsite parking lots. Your choice is welcomed as both onsite and off-site parking places provide heavy security.
  • Traveling with a person with reduced mobilityat Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is less challenging as the airport has introduced services that are accessible and friendly. Features such as TDD telephones, braille signs placed all over the terminals, and also visual paging as some of the disabled-friendly services implemented at SMF.

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

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

Direct departures

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

Direct returns

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

Reviews of the top airlines flying from Santa Ana to Sacramento

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

Not having a five hour delay with little notice! The crew was very kind, though, and just as tired as we passengers were. The flight didn't depart until nearly 1 am...and no reason was ever given.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, May 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Not having a five hour delay with little notice! The crew was very kind, though, and just as tired as we passengers were. The flight didn't depart until nearly 1 am...and no reason was ever given.

Connecting flight is on time and boarding was a breeze!

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.

The crew was nice. Boarding sucked. Instead of loading from the back to the front people just sat wherever and you had to wait for them to move to get to a seat. And the flight was 25 minutes delayed.

I boarded last because of my boarding assignment and was given a middle seat at the back of the plane. I’m 6”1” so it was really tight. I wish I just had a seat assignment instead of a general boarding group. My bag was way at the front and my seat at the back. Was never offered a beverage and had no room to move.

The cabin was very cold with the air conditioning on at a very high level. I used my phone app that displays room temperature and it registered 67 degrees.

Boarding was quick. The flight itself was good. However, no charging ports for cell phones. Also, the food provided was just a few snacks. For a 5-hr flight, I would expect at least a sandwich.

Everything went well. We even landed earlier than scheduled. Thank you!

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.

The flight never took off and we spent 7 hours at the airport

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.

Very bad! No good service delayed my second connection flight

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

Charges unexpected. For seat that didnt recline. Please reverse extra seat and carryon charge. Bad business that is a bait and switch.

I couldn’t check in because the app didn’t work. It took 3 Frontier employees at the counter to get me checked in. Flight left 3 hours after departure time

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

There was no easy way to check in. I don't want to install an app to checkin. I will use alaska from now on because they have a web check in method that is easy.

Horrible! The short distance flight ended up taking 5 hrs! There was a 3 hr delay for the flight to take off and there was a 70 min wait on the tarmac for some bogus reason that the pilot said the gate he was supposed to board was taken up. After a 30 min wait he said the plane that was supposed to push out of the gate called a medical emergency and 40 min later he ended up boarding another gate. For the initial 3 hr delay there was no information/alert about the gate or delay in the app or the boards up until the boarding time and even beyond! Had to walk all the way to the end of the terminal to find the frontier staff to ask what was going on. Avoid this airline at all costs! If you have carryon bags or checked bags , their prices come equivalent to the prices of more reliable airlines. They are the worst in timeliness at 60% (reported as delayed) this year (check the data) by a high margin even compared to the second worst airline. If you are ok with having a miserable flight experience with the odds close to flip of a coin, feel free to try them. If you value your time , money and flying experience, stay away.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports