San Diego

$75+ Cheap flights from Sacramento to San Diego (SMF - SAN)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 8/18. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SMF — SAN
Jun 17 — Jun 241
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Sacramento Intl to San Diego are usually found in October or August, booked 89 days in advance, depart on a Thursday or Saturday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from Sacramento to San Diego

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated June 12, 2025.

Round-trip from

$148
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$75
(Southwest)

Popular in

April

Cheapest in

October

Average price

$219
From Sacramento Intl to San Diego
One-way flight from Sacramento Intl to San Diego
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 21% potential increase in price ($49 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($5 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Average for round-trip flights in June 2025

Find flight deals from Sacramento to San Diego

Cheapest flights from Sacramento to San Diego
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Sacramento to San Diego. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on June 12, 2025.

This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/235:30 amSMF - SAN
1 stop5h 15mSpirit Airlines
Sun 8/243:10 pmSAN - SMF
1 stop8h 46mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 6/10$148
This Hawaiian Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Hawaiian Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 12/47:00 amSMF - SAN
Nonstop1h 33mHawaiian Airlines
Sun 12/78:20 amSAN - SMF
Nonstop1h 42mHawaiian Airlines
Deal found 6/10$156
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Alaska Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 8/46:00 amSMF - SAN
Nonstop1h 45mAlaska Airlines
Fri 8/85:16 pmSAN - SMF
Nonstop1h 45mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 6/10$164
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 12/61:00 pmSMF - SAN
1 stop4h 52mAmerican Airlines
Wed 12/105:03 pmSAN - SMF
1 stop5h 24mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 6/11$165
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Southwest is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 9/266:10 pmSMF - SAN
1 stop4h 25mSouthwest
Mon 9/298:30 pmSAN - SMF
Nonstop1h 40mSouthwest
Deal found 6/10$166
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 7/186:34 amSMF - SAN
1 stop3h 38mUnited Airlines
Mon 7/216:20 amSAN - SMF
1 stop3h 21mUnited Airlines
Deal found 6/10$177
This Travelocity deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Travelocity is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 7/810:19 amSMF - SAN
1 stop8h 07mMultiple Airlines
Wed 7/99:04 pmSAN - SMF
Nonstop1h 45mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 6/11$183
This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 6/193:44 pmSMF - SAN
1 stop26h 32mFrontier
Sun 6/226:51 pmSAN - SMF
1 stop23h 02mFrontier
Deal found 6/11$198
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 7/35:20 pmSMF - SAN
1 stop5h 33mDelta
Sun 7/67:35 pmSAN - SMF
1 stop3h 45mDelta
Deal found 6/11$258

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from Sacramento to San Diego that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated June 12, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Sacramento to San Diego that are best for you.

Fly from

Sacramento

Fly to

San Diego

Route

Depart

Return

Price

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Sat 8/23

5:30 am-10:45 am

1 stop5h 15m

San Diego

Sun 8/24

3:10 pm-11:56 pm

1 stop8h 46m

$148

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Wed 7/30

7:38 pm-9:19 pm

Nonstop1h 41m

San Diego

Wed 8/6

9:59 pm-11:43 pm

Nonstop1h 44m

$161

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Mon 8/4

6:00 am-7:45 am

Nonstop1h 45m

San Diego

Fri 8/8

5:16 pm-7:01 pm

Nonstop1h 45m

$164

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Fri 7/18

6:34 am-10:12 am

1 stop3h 38m

San Diego

Mon 7/21

6:20 am-9:41 am

1 stop3h 21m

$177

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Tue 7/8

10:19 am-6:26 pm

1 stop8h 07m

San Diego

Wed 7/9

9:04 pm-10:49 pm

Nonstop1h 45m

$183

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Thu 6/19

3:44 pm-6:16 pm

1 stop26h 32m

San Diego

Sun 6/22

6:51 pm-5:53 pm

1 stop23h 02m

$198

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Tue 7/8

2:00 pm-3:30 pm

Nonstop1h 30m

San Diego

Wed 7/9

12:45 pm-5:35 pm

1 stop4h 50m

$201

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Fri 7/18

6:58 pm-10:54 pm

1 stop3h 56m

San Diego

Sun 7/20

7:35 pm-11:20 pm

1 stop3h 45m

$213

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Wed 8/27

7:36 pm-9:19 pm

Nonstop1h 43m

San Diego

Mon 9/1

9:45 am-3:44 pm

1 stop5h 59m

$243

SacramentoSan Diego

SMF - SAN

SMFSAN

Sacramento Intl

Mon 8/18

6:10 pm-10:35 pm

1 stop4h 25m

$75

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 6/11

Showing 1-10 of 18 results
1
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The best insider tips for Sacramento to San Diego flights

Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of Cheapflights-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
Cheapflights partnered with top experts to bring you the best recommendations for your Sacramento to San Diego trip
Airlines
Southwest

Southwest offers two free checked bags, a generous policy for short domestic flights.


Southwest's open seating policy allows flexibility in choosing seats upon boarding.

Spirit Airlines

Spirit's Big Front Seats offer 11 inches more legroom, suitable for short flights.


Spirit's self-service bag drop saves time at the airport, ideal for quick trips.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska's Premium Class offers extra legroom and free cocktails, enhancing comfort on short flights.


Alaska Airlines offers Wi-Fi for a flat fee, ideal for business travelers needing connectivity.

Frontier

Frontier offers extra comfort seats for a fee, ideal for short flights.


Consider early check-in to secure your place, as Frontier often overbooks flights.

Read more about Frontierby Marisa Garcia
Airports
SMF

Security lines at SMF can be hectic on weekday mornings, especially Mondays. Arrive early to avoid delays, particularly if flying out of Terminal A.

Read more about SMFby Matt Meltzer
SAN

For a budget-friendly option, take the free San Diego Flyer shuttle from SAN to the Old Town Transit Center, running every 20-30 minutes.

Read more about SANby Blane Bachelor
Our travel experts
Marisa Garcia

Marisa Garcia

Expert on Southwest and Frontier

Marisa Garcia

Marisa Garcia

Marisa knows planes inside and out, spending 16 years working on aircraft in hangars at airports around the world. She is an aviation industry expert, specialized in airline interiors and regulations. Ten years ago, she pivoted to journalism. She shares her insights in leading aviation, travel, and business publications and on her site FlightChic.

Read more
Daniel Scheffler

Daniel Scheffler

Expert on Spirit Airlines

Daniel Scheffler

Daniel Scheffler

Daniel Scheffler is a travel writer, podcaster, and producer. Born in Africa, bred in Europe and now living in America he has traveled to 140 countries (and all 50 U.S. states). Plus he has stayed at over 2500 hotels across the globe. His original shows Everywhere and Without Maps (available on Spotify) showcase his beliefs, travel is about humanity and sharing that beauty. And thus it reminds you that you shouldn’t believe everything you think.

Read more
Robert Schrader

Robert Schrader

Expert on Alaska Airlines

Robert Schrader

Robert Schrader

One of the web's original travel bloggers, Robert launched his first site Leave Your Daily Hell in 2009. Since then, he's expanded into destination niche sites (one each for Japan, Thailand and Taiwan), in addition to having written for the inflight magazines of Singapore Airlines and Korean Air. Overall, he's visited nearly 100 countries, and flies business as often as possible.

Read more
Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SAN

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Read more
Matt Meltzer

Matt Meltzer

Expert on SMF

Matt Meltzer

Matt Meltzer

Matt Meltzer has been a travel writer for over a decade, covering U.S. domestic locations and hotels for Thrillist, Fifty Grande, Matador Network, Conde Nast Traveler, and other top publications. He's won multiple travel journalism awards from the Society of American Travel Writers and North American Travel Journalists Association, and currently resides in South Florida.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Diego from Sacramento with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Sacramento to San Diego

How far ahead should I book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Sacramento to San Diego. Price data was last updated on June 9, 2025.

The price you pay for your flight from Sacramento to San Diego may vary depending on when you book. For the best chance of a lower fare, look to book 89 days in advance of your trip. Fares are likely to increase a fortnight or so before your departure date.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego?

Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Sacramento to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SMF to SAN?

Find hourly flight availability from Sacramento to San Diego. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated June 12, 2025.

Unlike in the morning, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 48% on flights from Sacramento to San Diego by exploring options for tickets at noon.

What is the cheapest day to fly from Sacramento to San Diego?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from Sacramento to San Diego. Price data was last updated on June 8, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Sacramento to San Diego flight should consider departing on Saturday at noon when fares are most often at their lowest. Sunday mornings flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Weekly flight availability from Sacramento to San Diego

Explore weekly flight availability from Sacramento to San Diego. Discover flights operating on different days of the week, giving you the flexibility to choose a travel day that best fits your plans. Compare info to find the most convenient option for your journey. Data last updated June 12, 2025.

The most flights from SMF to SAN are scheduled on a Thursday (26 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Saturday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (9 on average).

Rainfall in San Diego by month

Plan your trip to San Diego by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in San Diego ranges from 0.0 - 2.3 inches per month. February is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 2.3 in. July is typically the driest time to visit San Diego when rainfall is around 0.0 in.

Temperature in San Diego by month

Plan your trip to San Diego by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to San Diego, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, August is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 71.6 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 57.2 F).

Reviews of airlines servicing San Diego

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San Diego. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to San Diego. Reviews last updated June 12, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from Sacramento to San Diego, such as Alaska Airlines, Southwest and Delta. You can also see how each airline compares in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
8.0
Very good

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Sacramento to San Diego. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.
  • What airports do I use to fly from Sacramento to San Diego?

    To fly from Sacramento to San Diego, you need to book a flight from Sacramento Intl (SMF) to San Diego (SAN). Nonstop flights to San Diego from Sacramento Intl take 1h 30m on average. When it comes time to book airfare, you have a few options: there are 17 outbound flights from Sacramento Intl to San Diego offered by 7 different airlines.

  • How popular is this Sacramento to San Diego flight route?

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Sacramento to San Diego round-trip?

    According to our current data, Spirit Airlines ($148), Hawaiian Airlines ($161), and Alaska Airlines ($164) offers the cheapest pricing from Sacramento to San Diego. Users have found that Spirit Airlines is 15% cheaper than the other options available to this destination.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Sacramento to San Diego one-way?

    $75 is the cheapest one-way deal found within the past few days, from Southwest. You may also be able to find cheap deals on Hawaiian Airlines and Spirit Airlines, with prices starting from $76 and $77, respectively.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from Sacramento to San Diego?

    Looking for the most reliable airlines to get you to your destination on time? Our data shows these are most likely to get you from Sacramento to San Diego on time: Japan Airlines (87%), Southwest (86%), British Airways (82%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from Sacramento to San Diego?

    The cheapest flight price from Sacramento to San Diego is $86. On average you can expect to pay $917. The most popular route, (Sacramento Intl - San Diego), can usually be booked for $96.

  • Can I find deals for flights from Sacramento to San Diego that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on Sacramento to San Diego flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from Sacramento to San Diego?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from Sacramento to San Diego.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Sacramento to San Diego?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Sacramento to San Diego by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego?

    Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Sacramento to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Sacramento to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Sacramento?

Book flights to Sacramento if you plan to visit one of these locations
El Cajon
Chula Vista
National City
Imperial Beach
La Mesa
Alpine
Lemon Grove
Poway
Santee
Coronado

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Alternative routes for Sacramento to San Diego

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.

Top 7 airlines flying from Sacramento to San Diego

Discover the top 7 airlines that operate flights from Sacramento to San Diego. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated June 12, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
FrontierCheapest$38Average$83FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
Spirit AirlinesCheapest$56Average$92FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time65%
Hawaiian AirlinesCheapest$91Average$240FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time85%
Alaska AirlinesCheapest$123Average$225FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%
SouthwestCheapest$132Average$224FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%
American AirlinesCheapest$133Average$418FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
DeltaCheapest$156Average$181FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A

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