How to Find Cheap Flights to Los Angeles

How to Find Cheap Flights to Los Angeles ✈️🌴

Your complete guide to securing affordable fares into LA’s major airports: LAX, BUR, SNA, LGB, and ONT. Includes booking windows, prices, flight hacks, and airline strategies.

📈Track Prices Early

Start monitoring fares 6–10 weeks before domestic departures into LAX (IATA: LAX). Set price alerts across multiple platforms to detect sudden drops.

  • Google Flights: calendar + tracking.
  • Hopper: predictive trends.
  • Skyscanner: multi-airport alerts.

🛫Compare All LA Airports (LAX • BUR • SNA • LGB • ONT)

Greater LA has five airports — searching all of them helps expose cheaper inventory and low-competition routes.

  • LAX — primary international gateway, most competition, best long-haul pricing.
  • BUR (Hollywood Burbank) — convenient for Valley travelers; competitive short-hauls.
  • SNA (John Wayne) — premium but sometimes the cheapest for West Coast routes.
  • LGB — boutique experience; JetBlue historically strong.
  • ONT — Inland Empire, often cheaper for desert or East LA travelers.

📅Best Time to Book Flights to Los Angeles

  • Prime window: 30–60 days before departure.
  • Cheapest months: January, early May, late September.
  • Best days to fly: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday.

💸Typical Deal Prices

  • SFO → LAX: $49–$98
  • SEA → LAX: $89–$129
  • ORD → LAX: $138–$210
  • JFK → LAX: $158–$238
  • LHR → LAX: £310–£480

✈️Nonstop Airlines Into LA

  • Delta — LAX hub; strong domestic network.
  • United — LAX long-haul presence.
  • American — multiple East/West coast nonstop options.
  • Alaska — strong West Coast connectivity.
  • JetBlue — competitive transcon fares.

💳Credit Card Travel Tips

  • Use transferable points for flexible award bookings.
  • Check airline portal discounts for LAX routes.
  • Free checked bag benefits reduce total cost.

🧳Baggage Fee Overview

  • Legacy carriers: $30–$40 first checked bag.
  • Low-cost carriers: $45–$99 depending on route.

🛠️Airline Hacks

  • Positioning flights into LAX during major fare wars.
  • Combine one-way fares from different carriers.
  • Late-night fare drops for unsold seats.

Last-Minute Options

Red-eyes into LAX can be surprisingly cheap close-in. Watch award space for last-minute seat releases.

🛡️Travel Insurance

Coverage usually costs $12–$30 for domestic trips. Many premium cards already include protection — confirm before adding a separate policy.

💡 Final Tip

Combining multi-airport searches with early price tracking is the most reliable way to secure the lowest fares to Los Angeles.