Domestic route
Cheap flights from Sacramento to San Diego
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to San Diego International Airport (SAN). 480 miles, 1h 35m nonstop.
SMF to SAN at a glance
Computed from airline schedules and the fares we track for this route. Refreshed several times a day.
- Distance
- 480 milesgreat-circle
- Typical flight time
- 1h 35mnonstop, gate to gate
- Nonstop airlines
- DLWNAS3 airlinesDelta, Southwest, Alaska
- Nonstop flights per day
- 12all airlines combined
- Cheapest month
- January 2027over the next six months
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday18% less than Sunday
- Time difference
- Same time zone
Sacramento to San Diego
Round trips from $61
Per traveler, taxes and fees included. Lowest fare we found departs Wed, Jan 6.
Cheapest month: January 2027
See fares on these datesLock any fare free — pay only when you accept your last-minute deal
Or ask an agent on WhatsAppSacramento to San Diego fares by month
Lowest round-trip economy fare per traveler in each of the next six months, taxes and fees included. Select a month to search that date.
Airlines flying Sacramento to San Diego
3 airlines fly nonstop with 12 departures a day combined, plus 5 more with one stop.
- ASAlaska AirlinesoneworldNonstop · 7 flights a day · first checked bag from $35
- WNSouthwest AirlinesLow-costNonstop · 3 flights a day · first checked bag from $35
- DLDelta Air LinesSkyTeamNonstop · 2 flights a day · first checked bag from $35
- AAAmerican AirlinesoneworldConnecting via LAX · first checked bag from $40
- F9Frontier AirlinesLow-costConnecting via LAS · first checked bag from $55
- B6JetBlueConnecting via LAX · first checked bag from $40
- NKSpirit AirlinesLow-costConnecting via LAS · first checked bag from $55
- UAUnited AirlinesStar AllianceConnecting via LAX · first checked bag from $40
Connecting options
Hubs where one airline can carry you on both legs, most choices first.
- Los Angeles (LAX)AAUAB63 airlines
- Las Vegas (LAS)NKF92 airlines
Tips for this route
- Delta, Southwest and Alaska all fly SMF to SAN nonstop, so compare the total with bags before picking the lowest base fare: the difference between a basic and a standard economy ticket is often less than one checked bag each way.
- January 2027 is the cheapest month to fly over the next six months, with round trips from $61; September 2026 is the most expensive at $89 and up, a difference of $28 per traveler.
- Departing on a Tuesday averages 18% less than a Sunday on this route. If your dates are flexible, shift the outbound by a day or two and check the calendar view before you book.
- Fares on this route are usually lowest 4 to 8 weeks before departure and rise sharply inside two weeks.
- At 480 miles this is a short hop of 1h 35m, so an early-morning departure, which is usually the cheapest and most punctual of the day, costs you little sleep.
Destination guide
San Diego: 70 degrees, 70 miles of coastline
San Diego has the most reliable weather of any big US city and an airport ten minutes from downtown. Balboa Park, the zoo, La Jolla's coves and a fish-taco culture make it an easy, relaxed beach trip with strong fare competition from Southwest and Alaska.
Best time to visit: September–November is the warmest ocean and clearest skies. Spring is pleasant but 'May gray' fog is common at the coast; summer is peak for families. Winter is mild and inexpensive.
Flying the other way? San Diego to SacramentoFares, airlines and tips for SAN to SMF.Ready to compare live fares?
See every airline on SMF–SAN side by side with bags and seat rules spelled out.
Search Sacramento to San DiegoSacramento to San Diego: common questions
How long is the flight from Sacramento to San Diego?
A nonstop flight from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN) takes about 1h 35m gate to gate, covering 480 miles. Connecting itineraries add the layover, typically 1 to 3 hours more in total.
Which airlines fly nonstop from SMF to SAN?
Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines operate nonstop flights from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN), with 12 nonstop departures a day between them. One-stop options connect through LAX and LAS.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Sacramento to San Diego?
Over the next six months, January 2027 has the lowest round-trip fares from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN), starting at $61 per traveler including taxes and fees. Within any month, Tuesday departures average the lowest prices.
How far in advance should I book Sacramento to San Diego flights?
Fares on this route are usually lowest 4 to 8 weeks before departure and rise sharply inside two weeks. Air1 Tickets includes free cancellation within 24 hours of booking on every fare, so you can lock in a good price and keep looking.
What is the time difference between Sacramento and San Diego?
San Diego is in the same time zone as Sacramento, so there is no clock change. SMF is on America/Los Angeles time and SAN on America/Los Angeles time. Departure and arrival times in search results are always shown in local time at each airport.
Related routes
Other popular city pairs from the same departure city and to the same destination, with the lowest round-trip fares we found.
More flights from Sacramento
All routesMore flights to San Diego
All routes- New York to San DiegoJFK → SANfrom $191
- Chicago to San DiegoORD → SANfrom $129
- Dallas to San DiegoDFW → SANfrom $112
- Denver to San DiegoDEN → SANfrom $77
- Los Angeles to San DiegoLAX → SANfrom $44
- San Francisco to San DiegoSFO → SANfrom $52
- Seattle to San DiegoSEA → SANfrom $106
- Las Vegas to San DiegoLAS → SANfrom $62