$448 Find Cheap Flights from Sydney to California

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Sydney to California departing on 9/4. 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

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Sydney to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Sydney to California.
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Cheap Flights from Sydney to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$711
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$711
San Diego
San Diego2 stops$1,196
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$1,043
Palm Springs
Palm Springs2 stops$1,071
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$1,083
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$711
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$711
San Diego
San Diego2 stops$1,196
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$1,043
Palm Springs
Palm Springs2 stops$1,071
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$1,083

Book Cheap Sydney to California Plane Tickets

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

Fri, May 1 - Fri, May 29
Fiji Airways Logo
1:15 pm - 1:55 pm
SYD
-
SFO
17h 40m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
10:35 pm - 11:50 am
SFO
-
SYD
20h 15m
1 stop
$711Fiji Airways
Sat, May 16 - Sun, May 24
Fiji Airways Logo
1:15 pm - 1:05 pm
SYD
-
LAX
16h 50m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
11:55 pm - 11:50 am
LAX
-
SYD
18h 55m
1 stop
$711Fiji Airways
Thu, Apr 30 - Tue, May 12
Qantas Airways Logo
5:50 pm - 8:58 pm
SYD
-
LAS
20h 08m
1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
7:05 pm - 7:05 am
LAS
-
SYD
19h 00m
1 stop
$991Qantas Airways
Mon, Jun 1 - Mon, Jun 8
Qantas Airways Logo
9:10 am - 1:53 pm
SYD
-
LAS
21h 43m
1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
4:24 pm - 7:05 am
LAS
-
SYD
21h 41m
1 stop
$1,001Qantas Airways
Mon, Jun 1 - Tue, Jul 28
American Airlines Logo
9:10 am - 3:52 pm
SYD
-
LAS
23h 42m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
2:36 pm - 7:05 am
LAS
-
SYD
23h 29m
1 stop
$1,016American Airlines
Sun, May 31 - Sun, Jun 7
Delta Logo
9:15 am - 9:25 pm
SYD
-
PSP
29h 10m
2 stops
Delta Logo
6:09 am - 6:50 am
PSP
-
SYD
31h 41m
2 stops
$1,071Delta
Mon, May 18 - Mon, Jun 22
United Airlines Logo
9:30 am - 2:22 pm
SYD
-
SNA
21h 52m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
2:47 pm - 7:00 am
SNA
-
SYD
23h 13m
2 stops
$1,082United Airlines
Mon, Jun 1 - Mon, Jun 8
United Airlines Logo
10:20 am - 6:47 pm
SYD
-
SNA
25h 27m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
4:12 pm - 6:55 am
SNA
-
SYD
21h 43m
1 stop
$1,085United Airlines
Wed, May 13 - Wed, May 20
American Airlines Logo
9:10 am - 11:00 am
SYD
-
SMF
18h 50m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
1:03 pm - 7:05 am
SMF
-
SYD
25h 02m
2 stops
$1,089American Airlines
Wed, May 13 - Wed, May 20
Delta Logo
9:15 am - 4:07 pm
SYD
-
SMF
23h 52m
2 stops
Delta Logo
5:00 pm - 6:50 am
SMF
-
SYD
20h 50m
2 stops
$1,108Delta
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Sydney to California flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Sydney to 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 Sydney to California departing in May.

What is the cheapest Sydney to California flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to California from Sydney found in the last 72 hours was to Los Angeles, at $821 round-trip. The most popular route is from Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $821.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to California?

The average price for all round-trip flights from Sydney to California depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $992 on average. Morning departures are around 18% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the morning, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,169.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Sydney to California?

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 $1,160, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Sydney to California?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Sydney to California, 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 Sydney to California is August, when tickets cost $766 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and April, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,052 and $914 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Sydney to California?

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

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to California on a Monday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Sunday is the most expensive day to fly from Sydney to California. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Wednesday and avoiding Saturdays for the best deals.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Sydney to California?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Sydney to California, 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 Sydney to California, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 10% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 8 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$448
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 20% increase in price.
Flight from Sydney to Las Vegas

Flights from Sydney to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Sydney to California 
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines
SYD
-
LAX
Jan 2025
Bring some extra food! Long flight, you don’t get enough and quality is mediocre. No free snacks in between meals except for mini pretzels.
AurianneFlew with United Airlines
SYD
-
SFO
Sep 2024
Ensure you have 2-3 hours layover You’ll likely need unless you don’t mind missing your next flight
DonnaFlew with Qantas Airways
SYD
-
SFO
Dec 2023
We got off a cruise so were at the airport over 7hrs before our flight. We paid for the day pass at the Premium Club. Totally worth it! It was quiet and offered food, drinks, showers and when they closed, we were able to go to the downstairs lounge which opened at 6:30. This lounge was much larger and had a bigger selection of food and beverages. Would definitely go there again.

FAQs - booking California flights

  • What visa do Australian citizens need to fly from Sydney to California?

    Australia is a participant in the ESTA visa-waiver program and there is no need for Australian visitors to obtain a visa. Although it is not considered a visa, Australians must still apply for and obtain a visa waiver through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online before departure. The waiver is valid for 2 years and permits unrestricted multiple-entry visits during that period. The online application is generally approved within 24 hours and costs around A$ 30.

  • Which terminal at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport can I fly to California from?

    Terminal 1 is the international terminal at Sydney Airport (SYD), and flights to the USA usually depart through Terminal 1. If you catch a domestic flight to Sydney before your flight to California, you will need to transit from one of the two domestic terminals. A complimentary shuttle links the three terminals at Sydney Airport, with a regular ring service operating 24/7.

  • What public transport is available at the Los Angeles or San Francisco airports?

    Los Angeles Airport is well connected to the bus and metro system, and there is a 24/7 FlyAway bus offering convenient transfer to downtown LA. San Francisco has a well-known and very positively reviewed BART train system that can get you quickly and conveniently to locations right across the city, including many suburban destinations.

  • What are the options for flying directly to California from Sydney?

    This depends a lot on your budget and time constraints. Direct flights can be long and tiring and are sometimes expensive but they do get the journey out of the way. On the other hand, choosing a longer route with more layovers may give you a welcome chance to break up your flying time into manageable chunks; plus, flights with more layovers, although they add to total travel time, can sometimes significantly reduce costs. Some popular routes that incorporate layovers are flying via New Zealand, Fiji or Hawaii. Longer routes that transit through Europe or the Middle East, or which fly across the USA from transit points in the East, may get very long and challenging and are probably best avoided by travellers not wanting to spend too much time in transit.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Sydney 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 Sydney to California.

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

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

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Sydney to the following destinations at these prices or less: Los Angeles $857 one-way - $1,143 round-trip
  • Several airlines offer direct flights from Sydney to Los Angeles and San Francisco and one of these is Qantas. Qantas enjoys an excellent reputation for both comfort and safety even if it is not always the cheapest option.
  • For budget options flying directly to Los Angeles and San Francisco, both Jetstar and Virgin Airlines offer competitively priced journeys and relatively short flight times. Be careful to note your luggage allowance, however, as luggage often costs extra and should be factored into the final price when purchasing your ticket.
  • Australian citizens travelling on the ESTA can use the e-gate automatic passport control system at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) for express entry to the USA. This can be a major time-saver when transiting through this busy airport.
  • If you are flying into Los Angeles, keep an eye out for the many art spaces and rotating exhibitions hosted by the airport. Los Angeles Airport is a great space for art lovers.
  • If you are flying into San Francisco Airport (SFO) and have a domestic connection to another airport in California, or elsewhere in the USA, there is a complementary train that connects all the terminals. Look for signs directing you to the AirTrain departure stations.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Sydney to California

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Sydney to California. 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 Sydney 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.
8.1
Fiji AirwaysOverall score based on 240 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.6Crew
8.1Comfort
7.5Entertainment
7.5Food
Airline reviews

I thought Fiji and Fiji Airways was great. Looking forward to the next trip. Baggage claim at the end went to sh...t

8.0 ExcellentJoseph, Apr 2026
NAN - HNL
Read more Fiji Airways reviews

I thought Fiji and Fiji Airways was great. Looking forward to the next trip. Baggage claim at the end went to sh...t

Fiji Airways always goes above and beyond. If anything I'd say the food was less enjoyable than in the past. But that in no way lessened the experience with the cabin crew or the excellent attentiveness and service they provided throughout the entire trip!

Left on time , arrived on time. Staff was awesome!!!!! Great flight!!!!

Great food, wonderful staff made a long flight seem short

Everything was great . Arrived on time was smooth plane was clean. Crew/Staff was friendly and helpful.

Everything from the staff to the comfort of business class was excellent. This is one of my new favorite airlines.

Ticketing said dinner for the almost 14 hour flight and we were delayed an hour. However, onboard we were only served a sluce if pizza bread and a cookie. Not at all dinner and insufficient for a long international flight. Breakfast was good.

We have had an absolutely horrific experience so far getting home from Australia on a $18,000 + flight we booked with you. The flight did not deplane in Dallas because there was no available gate or staircase. We sat in the plane for 3 hours waiting to deplane. As a result we missed our connecting flight to New York. American Airlines put us up in a hotel several miles away. We waited 45 minutes for a shuttle and The shuttle driver was horribly rude and unhelpful. They offered us $70 vouchers for food but actually there was no food left when we arrived minus some chicken nuggets and corn dogs. It was awful. Horrible way to end a vacation. There has to be accountability here.

A bit cramped in economy and the people in front wouldn’t put their seats up during meal service, crew did not help with that and I felt they could have done more about it.

The airline is ok, but it needs to improve it schedules.

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

While they turned off most cabin lights to allow people to sleep, I was bothered by how bright the side lights still were. It was still quite bright for me in a window seat, when I wish I could have slept!

One of the flight attendants was a little cranky. I appreciated the free wifi and plug to charge my laptop

WiFi didn’t work most of the time. The usb chargers would work only occasionally for 5 mins and wouldn’t charge after that. Had to keep trying repeatedly at each of the seats in the row.

The crew bent over backwards to thank us for flying and make us comfortable. The food service was quick and efficient. The Captain communicated and said goodbye and thank you as we departed. They really stood out!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

my mom urmila patel needed a wheelchair which was not available on the curbside. she needed to walk almost 50 meters inside (at the risk of falling) and then had to wait in line to get a wheelchair (this is not ok). Once obtained she had to seat in it for 30-45 minutes for someone to take her in thru the checkin process (which was fairly smooth and easy). the lady who helped her with her checkin process was very courteous and helpful

Staff at the check-in counter were friendly, happy and helpful. They tagged our bags and sent us to “bag drop off” but were not very clear about where that was. The airport was busy we headed off in what we thought was the right direction until a gentleman waved us down and actually came after us. He was the baggage handler for Delta and recognized our “deer in the headlights “ look-he brought us to the right area (which was marked as the Southwest Airlines Drop Off) and sent us on our way. Wonderful guy, low key and working with a big smile on his face. Loved it. Loved him.

Arlene was a great flight attendant. I also liked how one of the other flight attendants gave us a heads up about snacks and asked everyone to remove their headphones when it was their turn to order. Good idea.

I haven’t flown economy in over 20 years but it was not bad. Room by my feet for my bag and seat was roomy enough. Surprised in a good way.

We had bulkhead seats in a A380 in the upper deck in seats 31 D and E. Storage was very limited other than in overhead bin - which is not within reach when in seat. Yet paying same price as others in premium economy who have a lot more storage within arm’s reach. Seems very unfair.

Good check in and helpful staff. Delayed for 1 hour. Took about 45 Mins to get baggage’s at DFW . Food was average ( Hindu meal ) . Overall it was good experience

We booked with Qantas instead of Delta and we instead flew on American Airlines. American is not our favorite to go on. No leg room and the width of seats are a joke. Your are packed like sardines on American flights.

When I originally booked this flight, I was expecting to travel on Qantas. When the itinerary changed and the long-haul segment was operated by American Airlines, we were disappointed but remained open-minded. Unfortunately, the overall service experience fell far short of expectations. This was a long-haul international flight. Getting up periodically to use the restroom or stretch is inevitable, especially on flights of this duration. However, each time we stood up, we felt as though we were inconveniencing the crew. The tone and body language often suggested that we were in the way or disrupting something simply by moving about the cabin. As a result, I avoided getting up as often as I needed to and was physically very sore upon arrival. Meal service was similarly impersonal. The options were presented in single words “beef or veggie,” “pasta or beef” without any description of what was actually being served. There was little engagement or courtesy beyond that. Even simple expressions of gratitude were often not acknowledged. I am accustomed to no-frills travel and do not expect luxury. What was disappointing was not the absence of extras, but the absence of basic warmth and professionalism. On a long-haul international flight, small moments of courtesy and humanity make a significant difference. In this case, the experience felt transactional and dismissive rather than welcoming. I hope this feedback is taken constructively, as there is a meaningful difference between efficient service and indifferent service.

Flight arrived late with no one to help over 30 people rebook. I slept at the airport.

Business seats not as comfortable or private as most competitors (e.g. Qantas was outstanding), and movie selection was much more limited than Qantas or United has been recently

Hard to move and get out of my seat when the passenger in front is in recline position.

It was a good flight and no complaints. It just wasn't anything that was better than any other flight.

The crew were wonderful - if only the customers were as well behaved as the attendants!! Ha ha! If you could just talk to God and ask for less turbulence next time.... Juuuuust kidding....

Basic airline, aircraft and service. AA gets you from point A to B. My flight was delayed by 2 hours too.

Dinner was good, but the breakfast served in the morning was horrible.

Packed in plane small uncomfortable seats elbow to elbow nobody wants to be in that situation for the money they paid

Checking in united could not figure out my star alliance gold. Baggage did not get marked priority and didn't receive boarding passes. When got to SFO lounge personal fixed everything Immediately

Meals were poor and service rendered on return flight was mediocre as compared to the flight we took to Germany earlier where the attendants were more attentive, energetic, and mindful of passengers' needs. Thumbs up to crew of UA 58. Thumbs down to UA 59..

Flight left on time, arrived early, pleasant staff provided water, coffee, etc. access to bathrooms was reasonable and were well maintained. blankets were available, lots of entertainment options. LUGGAGE SERVICE WAS GREAT. I got my one checked bag quickly and was able to make a bus connection for a 2 hour bus ride saving me from waiting another 1.5 hours.

Terrible, if possible won't be flying again anytime soon!

Wonderful in-seat entertainment with seatback screens and huge selection of quality movies. The ability to bluetooth connect headphones was amazing.

we did a return flight from Paris CDG to SFO. This trip was much better than the departing flight SFO to CDG. The food was better quality, the crew was nicer, and the interior of the plane seemed cleaner.

Horrible service no Wi-Fi connection on both leg of the flight and they are refusing to fix bad service

We got to get extended leg room in Econ plus that was great. It was nice having our own dietary needs met with our meals, and the connecting flights had it as well. Only negative were the seats my bottom was/is really sore after a ten plus hour flight. Those seats are horrible, understandable for as many people use them. So we are going to purchase a gel seat pad.

Flight: Started on time. Comfortable flight. Arrived on time. Crew: Very cordial and helpful. Drinks and snack was served with a smile. Overall enjoyed the trip. Regards, Hari Doss Chanchala Doss

To have arrived on time and not 3 hours late after having already spent $100 to change to an earlier flight, only to arrive back home close to the original flight time.

American Airlines is a miserable experience. It is predictably miserable, in the sense that every time I fly American, I brace myself for the certainty that it will be unpleasant and uncomfortable. But it is unpredictable in the sense that I never know if the flight will be on time or delayed nine hours (both happened to me this week). I never know if I will be able to sit in the seat that I selected when I purchased the ticket or if I will be told by Customer Service (!!!) that I must relocate from first class to a seat in the back of the aircraft with no explanation (both happened to me this week). Will the food be frozen and half defrosted, or scalding hot? Will the drinks be warm? Will the flight attendants be surly and mean? Will the toilets be cramped and foul? Will the seats be narrow and uncomfortable? Will there be a real electric outlet at the seat, or just an unreliable USB-2 port? Will there be enough seats in the boarding lounge or just a few? Will the boarding process be smooth and efficient, or will the gate agents mess it up and delay it needlessly for 30 or 40 minutes? Will the catering and cleaning crew be prompt or will they take an extra 30 minutes? Will the brakes on the aircraft work properly, or will the pilot delay takeoff for four hours while the ground crew attends to what can only be described as routine maintenance that should have been done the night before? I've eexperienced every one of these unpleasant things this year, 2026. The only thing I can reliably count on is that American will find a new way to make the experience of flying as miserable as they possibly can.

Wifi was spotty. Tray table was very dirty when I sat down.

The WiFi would not connect enough for me to do my actual work. It permaspooled, disconnected, said it was connected, then wouldn't open an email... it was frustrating. I am not a tall person, 5'4" - and I felt cramped with little room to reach into my bag under the seat in front of me. I feel sorry for anyone taller than me having to fly. the one positive thing I will add, is the overhead bins are roomy enough to manage more bags than other carriers.

Buying ticket from kayak instant booking was a huge mistake, never to be repeated again! The Kayak didn’t book the tickets directly, it handed it off to a third party Underpricer, that booked a code shared American Airlines flight operated by Cathay Pacific!! When managing the booking American Airlines would recognize the itinerary but wouldn’t let me do anything stating, the flight is operated by Cathay Pacific so go to their website. Cathay Pacific would recognize the itinerary, neither by reservation ID or ticket number…asking to reach out to the third party Underpricer….calling Underpricer resulted in no help like seat requests, mileage number or upgrade request, 15hr layover accommodation voucher guidance…so net in net avoid booking through three layers of intermediaries

Going non stop to lax like I paid for. Not stopping in MCI for gas. Too long of delays

Flight was on time. Cabin attendants made no recognition of my name or being an Advantage Executive Platinum member.

Delayed for mechanical and no updates on what was happening and how long the delay might be.

A first class seat should fit a fat person, and this doesn't. The trays in the armrest are less functional than an ordinary tray in the back of the seat.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Sydney to California

Information on your arrival and departure airports