$734 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 21/7. 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 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 return prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$1,028
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$1,310
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$1,373
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$1,437
Palm Springs
Palm Springs2 stops$1,555
Fresno
Fresno2 stops$1,814
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$1,028
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$1,310
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$1,373
San Jose
San Jose2 stops$1,437
Palm Springs
Palm Springs2 stops$1,555
Fresno
Fresno2 stops$1,814

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

Tue, 28 Jul - Sun, 9 Aug
Fiji Airways Logo
06:00 - 13:05
SYD
-
LAX
24h 05m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
23:55 - 11:50
LAX
-
SYD
18h 55m
1 stop
$1,028Fiji Airways
Fri, 5 Jun - Fri, 12 Jun
Fiji Airways Logo
06:00 - 13:05
SYD
-
LAX
24h 05m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
23:55 - 11:50
LAX
-
SYD
18h 55m
1 stop
$1,030Fiji Airways
Mon, 20 Jul - Fri, 31 Jul
Fiji Airways Logo
13:15 - 13:05
SYD
-
LAX
16h 50m
1 stop
Fiji Airways Logo
23:55 - 13:10
LAX
-
SYD
20h 15m
1 stop
$1,032Fiji Airways
Sun, 24 May - Mon, 8 Jun
Air Canada Logo
09:20 - 00:08
SYD
-
LAS
31h 48m
1 stop
Air Canada Logo
18:00 - 07:20
LAS
-
SYD
20h 20m
1 stop
$1,326Air Canada
Sun, 24 May - Mon, 8 Jun
Air Canada Logo
07:00 - 00:08
SYD
-
LAS
34h 08m
2 stops
Air Canada Logo
18:00 - 07:20
LAS
-
SYD
20h 20m
1 stop
$1,347Air Canada
Mon, 25 May - Mon, 1 Jun
Qantas Airways Logo
09:10 - 09:53
SYD
-
LAS
17h 43m
1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
14:43 - 07:05
LAS
-
SYD
23h 22m
1 stop
$1,404Qantas Airways
Thu, 11 Jun - Thu, 18 Jun
United Airlines Logo
09:30 - 15:31
SYD
-
SNA
23h 01m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
09:00 - 07:00
SNA
-
SYD
29h 00m
2 stops
$1,486United Airlines
Mon, 8 Jun - Mon, 15 Jun
Qantas Airways Logo
09:10 - 18:58
SYD
-
SMF
26h 48m
1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
19:28 - 07:05
SMF
-
SYD
18h 37m
1 stop
$1,496Qantas Airways
Mon, 11 May - Mon, 18 May
United Airlines Logo
09:30 - 15:42
SYD
-
SNA
23h 12m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
19:45 - 06:55
SNA
-
SYD
18h 10m
1 stop
$1,504United Airlines
Wed, 10 Jun - Wed, 17 Jun
Virgin Australia Logo
10:20 - 12:06
SYD
-
SNA
18h 46m
1 stop
Virgin Australia Logo
18:20 - 06:55
SNA
-
SYD
19h 35m
1 stop
$1,792Virgin Australia
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 July.

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 $1,128 return. 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 $1,128.

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 $1,252 on average. Morning departures are around 36% 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 $2,376.

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 $1,342, 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 February, when tickets cost $1,037 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, when the average cost of return tickets is $1,525 and $1,462 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 Saturday. 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 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$752
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (20% more expensive on average)
Flight from Sydney to Los Angeles

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

  • 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.
8.1
Fiji AirwaysOverall score based on 240 reviews
7.5Entertainment
7.5Food
8.2Boarding
8.6Crew
8.1Comfort
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.

Boarded on time, smooth flight and "gentle" landing in Palmerston North. Ahead of time due to a tailwind

Time to upgrade those planes so you can provide first class.

The flight was smooth and on time. Entertainment options were lacking and there was no food, other than some very boring snacks.

A better selection of entertainment would have been nice. I found nothing that appealed to me as a middle-aged traveler. The flight attendants were gracious, helpful, and attentive. It also would have been nice to have more bathrooms as the flight was full and the plane was big.

This flight was the second leg of a trip that began in Auckland, New Zealand. I was unable to find a way to select seats in advance. The boarding passes we were given in Auckland did not have seat assignments for the second flight. There was no way to check on it until personnel showed up at the gate in Los Angeles, immediately before boarding time. The flight was overbooked by one, and since I was traveling with my sister, we needed two seats. We waited in considerable anxiety for everyone else to board and when one person did not show up, we had to take whatever was left. At least we finally got on the flight although we were the very last to board. We were not able to sit together, of course.

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.

Space between seats on Air New Zealand is generally tight. The crew on this flight was excellent! Very attentive and nice. You get free wine or beer and chips and of course the Air New Zealand candies. 1 hour and 35 min flight approximately.

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!

Very quick flight so no time for refreshments. We took off. Then landed. The end. Seats were too tight. Very cramped Grateful for the short flight cos moving around wasn’t possible

Loved the food and beverages available, spacious economy class, excellent entertainment

Very good overall. Highly recommend for all flying to Australia

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.

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

Outstanding service, great food, friendly & efficient crew, safe & comfortable flight

Staff were not attentive, wifi did not work, cut my head in the bathroom due to the position of the soap on the sink, had blood running down my face, told staff, they had no expression no sympathy, didn't even say "sorry", they said "oh we will have a look at that" about 10 mins later the purser brought me a bandaid, still no sorry.... Shocking

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.

Several missed and almost missed connections. It felt like everything was being patched together last minute without enough resources and it ended up being an extremely stressful experience that basically ruined our weekend on the west coast. What a waste.

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..

Very disappointed with premier lounge. Food selection very poor, both coffee machines out of order. For the price you charge for an upgrade, the seats don’t fully recline, movie selection is old. Not very good value. Asian airlines are light years ahead at a more affordable price.

The flight was delayed, but not for weather. We landed over 3hrs later than planned.

The stag were helpful, kind and liked the passengers. The plane was pristinely clean! Great flight!

The plane was delayed an hour. Heard from other passengers that the Vancouver connection to SFO was never on-time.

My experience was good with United too But only not so good thing was that at Calgary airport I was not given lounge access despite of flying business. Aspire lounge denied it to me, which was unfair I feel

We left over 2 hours late and they didn't even give us a complimentary snack, when getting to the desk I asked if I could be put in a row with only 1 other person or an empt y one I was told the flight was full when the last two rows were empty. All around over it

They are very proactive and made our boarding easy and always notified us about any changes well in advance.

The staff was great and made the long trip easy peasy!

The free Wi-fi for Aeroplan members was a great touch. The time passed quickly. I found the seats seemed a little closer together than I remember. Not Air Canada's fault, but we were about 20 minutes late landing because the airport was too busy. We had to circle around for a while. The boarding and disembarking went very smoothly.

Great flight. Only complaint is it took over an hour for my luggage to get to the carousel on the return to LAX That was irritating

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports