$528 Find Cheap Flights from Sydney to California – 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 Sydney to California departing on 9/11. 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.
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Cheap Flights from Sydney to California

Cheapest return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$888
San Francisco
San Francisco2 stops$1,181
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$990
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$991
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$1,141
Fresno
Fresno2 stops$1,245
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$888
San Francisco
San Francisco2 stops$1,181
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$990
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$991
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$1,141
Fresno
Fresno2 stops$1,245

Book Cheap Sydney to California Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return 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 return flight deals from Sydney to California

Thu, 15 Oct - Sat, 21 Nov
Fiji Airways Logo
14:15 - 13:05
SYD
-
LAX
16h 50m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
22:35 - 12:35
LAX
-
SYD
19h 00m
1 stop
$888Fiji Airways
Thu, 15 Oct - Tue, 17 Nov
Fiji Airways Logo
14:15 - 13:05
SYD
-
LAX
16h 50m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
22:35 - 12:35
LAX
-
SYD
19h 00m
1 stop
$888Fiji Airways
Mon, 7 Sep - Sun, 20 Sep
Qantas Airways Logo
09:10 - 06:05
SYD
-
LAX
13h 55mdirect
Qantas Airways Logo
23:10 - 07:05
LAX
-
SYD
14h 55mdirect
$947Qantas Airways
Mon, 14 Sep - Mon, 9 Nov
Air Canada Logo
09:20 - 13:35
SYD
-
LAX
21h 15m
1 stop
Air Canada Logo
12:30 - 09:35
LAX
-
SYD
26h 05m
1 stop
$957Air Canada
Wed, 14 Oct - Wed, 11 Nov
Air Canada Logo
10:20 - 13:35
SYD
-
LAX
21h 15m
1 stop
Air Canada Logo
15:15 - 09:35
LAX
-
SYD
23h 20m
1 stop
$957Air Canada
Wed, 16 Sep - Sun, 11 Oct
Qantas Airways Logo
09:10 - 06:00
SYD
-
LAX
13h 50mdirect
Qantas Airways Logo
23:10 - 08:05
LAX
-
SYD
14h 55mdirect
$970Qantas Airways
Tue, 24 Nov - Sun, 31 Jan
Alaska Airlines Logo
21:40 - 22:58
SYD
-
LAX
20h 18m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
07:00 - 19:45
LAX
-
SYD
17h 45m
1 stop
$970Alaska Airlines
Wed, 9 Sep - Wed, 16 Sep
American Airlines Logo
09:10 - 06:00
SYD
-
LAX
13h 50mdirect
American Airlines Logo
23:10 - 07:05
LAX
-
SYD
14h 55mdirect
$980American Airlines
Wed, 23 Sep - Mon, 28 Sep
Multiple Airlines Logo
13:15 - 18:42
SYD
-
LAS
22h 27m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
06:30 - 11:50
LAS
-
SYD
36h 20m
2 stops
$983Multiple Airlines
Thu, 3 Sep - Wed, 16 Sep
American Airlines Logo
09:10 - 06:05
SYD
-
LAX
13h 55mdirect
American Airlines Logo
23:10 - 07:05
LAX
-
SYD
14h 55mdirect
$984American Airlines
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 return flight from Sydney to California?

This analysis is based on the cheapest return trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Sydney to California departing in October.

Flight prices are below average for this route right now.

Flights to California from Sydney usually cost between $1,000 and $1,197 in October.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $888 on Fiji Airways (15 Oct–21 Nov).

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 5 days was to Los Angeles, at $1,027 return. The most popular route is from Sydney (SYD) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest return airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $1,027.

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 retur flights cost $1,322 on average. Morning departures are around 31% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $2,531.

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

The average return price for all direct flights, flights with one stopover, and flights with two stopovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $1,307, 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 $1,117 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, when the average cost of return tickets is $1,580 and $1,394 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.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to California on a Tuesday and more expensive on a Friday. On your return trip to Sydney, you should consider flying back on a Monday, and avoid Thursdays for better 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 a flight from Sydney to California, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 10% compared to booking last-minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 15 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$528
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (32% more expensive on average)
Flight from Sydney to Las Vegas

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

Insights shared by verified travellers 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
Sept 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 travellers 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 return 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 $681 one-way - $1,173 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 flying 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.
8.0
Fiji AirwaysOverall score based on 249 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.5Crew
8.0Comfort
7.5Food
Airline reviews

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

10.0 ExcellentNick, Mar 2026
NAN - LAX
Read more Fiji Airways reviews

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

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.

In-flight entertainment options could use a refresh, Consider a tie-up with Spotify for more current music and with IMDB or other service for newer selections/movie ratings.

6 hour delay and they didnt try to make up any time during an over 10 hour flight

Entertainment was not good. Seems like liquor should’ve been advertised only beer and wine was even though I saw others getting liquor didn’t realize I could. And the food to me could’ve been a little bit.

Better connections, much better cabin crew, much cleaner cabin that Qantas, American and probably other carriers.

Fiji Business Class was value for money. Would do again for a long haul flight.

We recently flew on FIJI AIRLINES, what a breath of fresh air! From their customer service at the ticket counter/ Baggage check to the flight attendants on the plane! When I bought the tickets they were the least expensive too! I took a picture of one of the flight attendants scoop up a very fussy baby and walk her around the plane, to give her parents a break. I would love to submit, but don’t know how. Meals were great, also complimentary beer and wine was a pleasant surprise!

check-in at sydney was a bit disorganized. one well-dressed woman appeared to be in charge, staring at others who were not ready and checking in passengers. one person at business class check-in, was sarcastic and only mentioned the gate assignment, no bother to mention the lounge access etc... the crew on board was stellar. so polite, helpful and respectful. the meals were great, endless beverages, and the a350 is spectacular with the seat/bed, amenity kit, television, bedding, headphones. first time flying fiji airways- honolulu- fiji-sydney, and sydney-fiji-los angeles, all in business class. their fares are much more affordable than other carriers. hopefully, one day, they will use a widebody aircraft from honolulu- fiji, since it is a nearly 7-hour flight and the 737-max 8, although comfortable, would be better with a widebody plane.

We got to experience Premium Economy from Sydney to Auckland and it was a great experience wiht Air New Zealand. The crew was friendly and helpful.

The Premium Economy seats were very comfortable and the food was quite tasty. I did not use the entertainment system, but I was able to charge my phone and tablet with the seatback connection.

We had difficulty checking in as United didn’t recognize the confirmation number and the agent was not helpful. We went to the United Assistance desk where the agent was able to process our reservation. We also weren’t allowed to choose seats in advance.

Air New Zealand over sold our flight and tried to bump us to yesterday. After several calls we got booked to United about 6 hrs before our original flight. No apologies!

Please add more Bollywood movies and recent movies to the entertainment.

I was not even on that flight and did not even book a ticket. Kayak did a phenomenal job

Flight was delayed by 2 hours. Got lucky that i had a long connection, else would have certainly missed my connecting flight. Food is just okay, specially the breakfast is worse . Asked for water 30 mins before landing, the response is that we are landing so everything is packed . I guess traveling in economy that’s what we get. Probably business class passengers would get a different answer. Only good thing is that wifi service is available from auckland to lax for most part Next time will try united or American and then compare.

Economy was much nicer on the Air New Zealand planes.

Couldn’t request a vegan meal somehow but I noticed other people getting them

They announced food service but then never came around. We also couldn’t land so kept trying to get to runway and then had to come up and go around happened like 3 times and cause the child next to me to start throwing up

Great food and good entertainment options for the long flight.

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.

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.

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

I tried to check in online but was unable to do so. I stood in line for nearly two hours to check in. American Airlines was understaffed. When I finally got to the kiosk to check in, I was still unable to check in. No AA staff was available to help. Finally one of the airport security agents who was helping passengers became of lack of AA Staff told me: “I think the reason you can’t check in is that you are starting your name with an upper case letter when you write it. Just write it with all lower case letters.” That did allow me to check in. HOW COULD ANYONE POSSIBLY KNOW THAT IF THEY USE AN INITIAL UPPER CASE LETTER TO SPELL THEIR OWN NAME, AA WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO CHECK IN?????? Then I had to wait in line over half an hour again to drop off my baggage. Although I arrived at the airport 3 hours early, by the time I got to the gate, they had already started boarding.

Friendly staff, surprisingly good premium economy seats allowing good sleep/ snooze opportunity and very good menu.

Don’t like last minute airline change. Not able to choose seat earlier.

They actually held the plane for a few minutes and had someone at the escalators from Qantas checking to see if we were almost at the gate and radioed ahead to tell them that we were on our way. We called down to the person and gave her our names, coming as fast as we could.

First time flying in Qantas. There is zero WiFi on the flight to/from Australia. Crew was great both routes - very attentive, personalized service. Pleasant staff throughout.

The plane was new (<6mos old) and was very well appointed. Lots of places to store things/plenty of legroom/comfortable seats/great blankets and headsets. Food was very good too. And crew were all very friendly and accommodating. Great trip!

The SFO lounge closes at 12 midnight. My flight took off at 2AM

Uncomfortable plastic seats even in premium economy. No free wifi. Even paid wifi was spotty to nonexistent. Bad food. Much worse than economy on foreign carriers like Qantas.

Good flight. However, when booked flight with United, assumed the layover included by United in San Francisco of 1 hr and 40 minutes was sufficient . Not so and would recommend at least 2 hours or more. Needed to go through US immigration (very long lineups), then pick up bags, take all the way to another terminal, running because we did not have sufficient time. We made the flight because they held the door for us but luggage didn’t follow.

It was good but only meal served is very less. Meantime good to add rice and chicken in one of meal

I found the staff to not be very attentive at all. When paying for Business Class you expect a certain type of service and that was not found. They were almost rude even

Great. Food going from Australia to the US was better than other way around, but still needs improvement in terms of quality and quantity!!!

Crew seemed annoyed by the fact we were there. Very unpleasant

Due to a cancelled flight the day before this flight only had 44 people. Best flight ever on international route. Food getting better. Can United provide fruit ex apples and bananas for snacks? Crew fantastic.

Honestly didn’t like anything. Crew was in rush . Food was ok and there was no whiskey. Have to pay extra $ if you want to drink whiskey . They only provide wine and beer.

Compared to other international Airlines the infotainment system is need of overhaul. Doesn't have music it's got a limited selection of movies but I was impressed that an American airline was showing the documentary on John Farnham an Australian singer!

Everything was great except that I wasn’t issued a boarding pass for the second flight so they would not let me into customs until I had said boarding pass. Luckily a gate attendant from another Air Canada flight was able to print one for me so I could go through.

The flight attendants were not very nice. No smiles On my return trip I was charged for one bag $83.30 although I had purchased the flight including one piece of luggage. Can this be refunded to me? Thank you!

Full compliments to Captain for all four landing. Crew could be more polite and nice.

So smooth and easy! From boarding to arriving, we are very happy with our experience on air Canada.

There was a long delay on tarmac. The pilot kept us informed. The flight stewards were not entertaining or comforting. During the flight we received minimal service. Several food choices for purchase were not available at our seating of row 52. Only twice were we offered water for hydration. A half hour before landing teh pilot acknowledged that some passengers with connecting flights should tell flight stewards and they would help.. We had a connecting flight thand at should have had a 2+ hour layover and now would be less than 1 hour from departure. The flight attendant told us not to worry.. plenty of time. We did not get off the plane until after 6 o'clock. We are seniors (ages 74 and 72 ) and had to walk the length of the terminal to go thru customs and the length of the next terminal to departure gate for 6:30 a boarding call. We ran and were breathing hard and reached the departure gate by 6:50. We rate the flight stewards negatively...the pilot did his best.

It was very bad travelling with air canada the people working at check in bagages was very bad person any way I pay to much many to get good flights but it’s not

Air Canada switched my connecting flight to Alaska airlines without any communication to me. The process of finding this out, needing to leave one portion of the airport for the next and what i should have done with my luggage was not communicated to me at all. Even the Air Canada agent that noticed the airline switch at the terminal did not explain this process to me. In doing so my luggage did not arrive with me. The delay to create a claim too 2 hours.

Food was great. Staff was great. I would have liked to see more in flight shopping - they went by so fast I missed it. I would have liked more variety in tv shows but overall flight was great. The staff made all the difference.

The bathroom I used could have been cleaner and tidier. Didn't look like it was kept very well. The staff were super helpful. There was an issue with my screen, and they rebooted it for me. They were also great at dishing out our meals, and cleaning up after.

The seats were very nice. The flight attendants were obnoxious and rude. I felt that if I asked for something they would bite my head off! When I did ask for something, they said they would do it after they finished what they were doing, but never did. Horrible. Check in at business class took way too long.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports