$100 Find Cheap Flights from Tampa 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 Tampa to California departing on 9/16. 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

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Tampa to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Tampa to California.
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 24% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Tampa to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$258
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$357
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$295
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$261
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$388
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$319
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$326
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$384
Redding
Redding2 stops$574
Reno
Reno1 stop$341
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$329
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$258
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$357
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$295
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$261
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$388
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$319
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$326
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$384
Redding
Redding2 stops$574
Reno
Reno1 stop$341
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$329

Book Cheap Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa to California

Tue, Aug 18 - Tue, Sep 1
Frontier Logo
10:37 am - 4:48 pm
TPA
-
ONT
9h 11m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:50 am - 5:34 am
ONT
-
TPA
15h 44m
1 stop
$187Frontier
Tue, Aug 18 - Tue, Sep 1
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:05 am - 7:48 pm
TPA
-
ONT
16h 43m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
10:50 am - 5:34 am
ONT
-
TPA
15h 44m
1 stop
$209Multiple Airlines
Wed, Sep 2 - Tue, Sep 8
Delta Logo
4:32 pm - 9:56 pm
TPA
-
SNA
8h 24m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:20 pm - 10:24 pm
SNA
-
TPA
7h 04m
1 stop
$257Delta
Tue, Sep 1 - Tue, Sep 15
Delta Logo
6:55 am - 11:43 am
TPA
-
FAT
7h 48m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:19 pm - 5:56 am
FAT
-
TPA
9h 37m
1 stop
$257Delta
Wed, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 15
American Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 12:06 pm
TPA
-
ONT
7h 36m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 4:03 pm
ONT
-
TPA
6h 48m
1 stop
$257American Airlines
Tue, Sep 1 - Sat, Sep 5
American Airlines Logo
6:26 pm - 10:32 pm
TPA
-
SJC
7h 06m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 5:33 pm
SJC
-
TPA
8h 33m
1 stop
$261American Airlines
Wed, Jul 22 - Wed, Jul 29
Southwest Logo
6:20 pm - 10:30 pm
TPA
-
SJC
7h 10m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
10:20 am - 8:15 pm
SJC
-
TPA
6h 55m
1 stop
$305Southwest
Wed, Jul 1 - Wed, Jul 8
Southwest Logo
4:00 pm - 11:00 pm
TPA
-
SJC
10h 00m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
1:10 pm - 11:55 pm
SJC
-
TPA
7h 45m
1 stop
$310Southwest
Tue, Aug 18 - Wed, Aug 19
United Airlines Logo
12:20 pm - 5:17 pm
TPA
-
RNO
7h 57m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
1:42 pm - 11:15 pm
RNO
-
TPA
6h 33m
1 stop
$367United Airlines
Tue, Aug 18 - Wed, Aug 19
United Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 3:26 pm
TPA
-
RNO
11h 26m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
1:42 pm - 11:15 pm
RNO
-
TPA
6h 33m
1 stop
$372United Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Tampa to California flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa to California departing in July.

What is the cheapest Tampa to California flight route?

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

The cheapest ticket to California from Tampa found in the last 5 days was to John Wayne (Santa Ana), at $176 round-trip. The most popular route is from Tampa (TPA) to San Francisco (SFO), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $349.

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

The average price for all round-trip flights from Tampa 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 at night, when round-trip flights cost $463 on average. Morning departures are around 15% 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 $587.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Tampa 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 $378, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Tampa 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 Tampa to California is October, when tickets cost $345 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $466 and $413 respectively.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Tampa 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 Friday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Monday is the most expensive day to fly from Tampa to California. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Tuesday and avoiding Sundays for the best deals.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa to California, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 38% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$100
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 5% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 8% increase in price.
Flight from Tampa to Ontario

FAQs - booking California flights

  • If I want to visit Disneyland Resort, which airport should I fly to?

    The popular southern California destination, Disneyland Park and Resort in Anaheim, California, is served by Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Visitors who drive from the airport to Disneyland should plan for a 50 minute to one hour commute, which may vary based on traffic and rush hours. Disneyland provides shuttle service to and from Los Angeles International Airport, which can accommodate groups of up to 9 passengers.

  • Which airport in California is closest to Napa Valley?

    Vacationers who are eager to tour and visit California’s famous wine country regions of Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and others, should plan to fly to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The wine country region is located approximately 50 miles north of San Francisco and is best reached by driving from the airport.

  • Are there any lounges available when I fly from Tampa to California?

    Tampa International Airport (TPA) offers the Delta Sky Club and American Airlines Admirals Club lounges. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) offers the “Be Relax Spa.” Both Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) offer numerous airline lounges including Delta Sky Club, American Airlines Admirals Club, and United Club, while San Francisco Airport also offers American Express’ The Centurion Lounge.

  • How can I make my flight from Tampa to California more sustainable?

    Travelers concerned with their environmental impact can do things such as packing a lightweight travel bag and booking direct flights, which reduce fuel consumption. Beyond that, airline choice is a factor in traveling sustainably. Alaska Airlines is a great choice for sustainable travel, as they have reintroduced in flight recycling. Alaska Airlines was the first American airline to provide plastic-free in flight water service, along with recyclable paper cups.

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

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa 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 Tampa to the following destinations at these prices or less: Las Vegas $160 one-way - $326 round-trip
  • Passengers traveling between Tampa, Florida, and California can find many options to top destinations such as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). As these are California’s two major airports, there are many direct flights from Tampa International Airport (TPA).
  • Los Angeles International Airport is the hub for a number of major airlines in the U.S., such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines. These airlines provide frequent flights from Tampa. When you fly to Los Angeles International Airport attractions such as Hollywood theme parks, sightseeing at Pacific coast beaches, and Downtown L.A.'s centers of industry are all within a short ride from the airport.
  • San Francisco, in the Bay Area, is also a top destination in California, and San Francisco International Airport serves as a hub for United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. United Airlines offers nonstop service from Tampa to San Francisco International Airport.
  • Known as the center of the American tech industry, the Silicon Valley, in the south Bay Area, is also served by San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC). Travelers can find flights to from Tampa to San Jose Mineta International Airport on various airlines including Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue. These flights will typically have one layover.
  • San Diego, in Southern California, is another popular destination. Alaska Airlines offers nonstop service between Tampa International Airport and San Diego International Airport (SAN). While San Diego International Airport is not a hub, it is a focus city for both Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines, and it is the busiest commercial single runway airport in the U. S.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Tampa to California

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Tampa 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 Tampa 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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4258 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
7.0Food
Airline reviews

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

4.0 OkayAnonymous, May 2026
MDW - LAX
Read more Southwest reviews

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

No gluten free snacks. Seats felt worn or bare bones even though it was a new 737 MAX 8.

Plane was clean and comfortable. Flight attendants and gate staff were professional, friendly and efficient. Boarding and deplaning were orderly and efficient. All in all, the typical excellent Southwest experience.

Truly terrible. Will never willingly fly southwest again. Seats are worse than before they switched to assigned seating. One flight attendant was the opposite of helpful (rude, unhelpful, dismissive, and as my stranger seatmate said unprompted: a total prick). This caused me, 15 minutes into the flight, to book an alternate return flight home on a competing airline (first class 1.2k purchase instead of my existing planned flight) just so I would not have to ever be on that aircraft, with that terrible service person, with those horrific seats ever again.

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.

This leg was much better, but we did have to have a 3 hour lay o er after coming from a very exhausting hiccup with our flight from BNA to Den

The Air hostess were very rude on my flight from Houston to Austin . Their regular communication itself felt a they are shouting at people.

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

Long layover between flights to Long Island from BWI - need better coordination between flights

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

I was very impressed at how Alaska Airlines handles people with medical needs.

Check in & bag drop was straightforward. Alaskair changed the gate approx 40 min before departure, and I only became aware due to Google wallet update to my boarding pass. Had to move from gate N1 to C9 which required use of the Train, luckily I had time available.

Wish there were more complimentary drinks available - only had water and apple juice. Also - no snacks were provided during the flight, but we were offered some items as we exited the plane.

My boarding passes were pulled from my Apple wallet and my 3 family members who were all sitting together in the same row all got put middle seats and were one of the last to board and barely were able to get our bags in the luggage bins.

Everything went smoothly from the transfer from Orlando to a quick board. Flight was not full and we were able to get underway a little early. My only critique is that in Orlando, they offered active duty service members and veterans to board ahead of their zones in the initial boarding process. They did not offer to veterans in San Diego. Both flights were comfortable

I had ordered breakfast several days prior to the flight. 1) we did not rreceive our breakfast and crew knew nothing about it! We left TPA at 8 a.m. but drink cart did not appear until 10:30 a.m. and did not appear a second time either. Was unaware that Alaskan Air offers no music, flight aware, or movies.

Terrible experience with an extremely obese passenger seated directly behind me - who snored and gagged so loudly, even throughout takeoff, that no one within ten rows could have gotten any rest even with earplugs! I get that this poor person has a serious health issue, and that Alaska (maybe) had no way to prepare in advance (though he did occupy two seats). Still there must be a way to take a six-hour flight without feeling like I'm next to a roaring grizzly bear.

It might not have been their fault, but there was a two hour delay due to weather. Then we boarded and were about to leave when they said there were more problems at the destination, took us back to the gate where we had to fully deplane. But then five minutes later, they said everything was fine and to get back on the plane. This was the part that pissed everybody off.

I'm tall and the seats do not have a headrest so its hard to get comfortable. Staff and checking were all great.

I was surprised by everything. The cleanliness, the punctuality, the friendliness of the crew… and the Wi-Fi! Please keep up the good work.

Left /arrived on time. Decent seat space. Like the wifi/plugs and entertainment. Windows and tray table were kinda gross. Attendants didn't start snack service til 40mins before landing. Two rows before us, captain came on to say there's turbulence and recalled staff to seats. So, no drink/snack. Later, attendants didn't stop to see if we had trash nor even look our way. Felt invisible! Almost all pilot announcements were not only unintelligible, but so quiet. We had no idea what she said.

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.

The WiFi was horrific. I fly delta often and love their (usually reliable and free) WiFi. On this flight it was intermittent and when it did connect was extremely slow. I couldn’t get any work done while I was on the flight which was extremely frustrating. I was also in the exit row seat where there is now immediate seat in front of you, so while the leg room was nice, I couldn’t even watch the TV when the internet wasn’t working. Finally, for the last 20 mins of the flight, the announcement indicator came on the TV screens and took them over, even though no announcement was being made. Really disappointed.

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.

New plane was lovely. Crew customer service is always lax but expected. Kraft on time and arrived safely.

Seat pitch is horrible especially on the 15 hour flight. Gate crew at SFO was Outstanding. The flight crew was also great.

6 1/2 hours from Tampa to SFO on a Boeing 737. Cramped. No Service. No real food. One pass for coffee at the beginning and a second pass THREE hours later. And check-in in Tampa was nasty even by United standards. And I am at almost TWO million miles on United. It's a non-stop. But terrible service.

First class ticket gets you no seat back entertainment? I have to bring my own laptop to see a movie? And most of their movies have ADS? No thank you. Worse: Tiny snacks only on a 2 hr flight?

Late plane. Only one crew on the ground so we b had to wait for Denver flight to come in, board, and depart. At 78 yrs of age I was not pleased trying to get my connection. What really made me angry was the notification you sent me to hurry up or I would miss my connection. Why tell me to hurry up when you got me in late. It was not a good way of treating customers.

No complaints other than luggage carousel was incorrectly guiding passengers to the wrong carousel on the screen.

It's a short hop. My carryon was checked at the gate, I didn't have to drag it all over the airport. Excellent wheelchair assist.

Outstanding service, efficient & friendly crew, flight was safe, comfortable & on time

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.

The flight was delayed from take off because only one runway was operational in San Francisco.

Was put into a seat right behind the toilet that had no entertainment possible but did have plenty of leg room over noisy part of plane.

American delayed the flight for a crew rest period. The delay occurred late in the evening - the earliest i can find is 10:20 pm. With a 6 am flight anyone on the flight would have already have been asleep (unless you are insane, a vampire or on drugs) and at least for me i was already on the way to the airport at 445 am the next morning when i discovered they delayed the flight until 9 am. Given the incoming flight was in the air at 6 pm the evening before this should have been figured out a lot more timely that was there only crew to use. Just frustrating given there is no consideration for customer experience anymore in flying.

The seats need better cushioning for a nearly 5-hour flight, it was a bit uncomfortable. I'm glad American has free wi-fi but there were was a bout 30 minutes in the middle of the flight when there was no connection which was frustrating.

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.

Business class was very good, one of my best flights

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.

Incredibly delayed. First delay was due to plane coming in being late. Resulted in 30 minute delay. Boarded and then had multiple mechanical issues. Was on plane for an hour until they told people they could get off if they wanted but couldn't come back. Then gate agent rushed in and said they had lost control of who went off and we would all have to deplane and then get back on. They said flight had not been cancelled. Then while sitting waiting to board again they announced it would take two hours to get new plane and to wait at new gate. New plane arrived, reboarded only to find out that pilots had timed out. Waited for new pilots. In that time one of the flight attendants timed out. Never received food or water while waiting. Was confusing mess as to what was happening. Even flight attendants and gate agents were getting frustrated. Almost 6 hours delayed. Called American to received flight credit but can't get anywhere as Kayak reservation and don't have a ticket number. Reached out to Kayak but never heard back.

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

Flight was delayed and they gave up my seat on my connection, even when I could still make the flight

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports