Cheap Flights to Los Angeles

Your flights to LA will bring you to famous neighbourhoods like Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Long Beach. You can follow in the footsteps of legendary stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or get tickets for a taping of shows like The Price is Right or Let's Make a Deal instead. Head to Rodeo Drive's boutiques for some high-end shopping, or get great discounts in LA's Fashion District. For nearly 40 km of people-watching, nothing beats a trip down Sunset Boulevard.

From its history of Spanish rule to the sprawling metropolis it has become today, Los Angeles is an eccentric mix of colonial-style buildings, luxury condos, restaurants dedicated to the latest in dietary fads, and the last word in high fashion. Board your LA flight, take a deep breath, and prepare to enter the alternate-reality that is Los Angeles.

Booking your flights to Los Angeles International (LAX) will get you the cheapest airfares and discount tickets to LA. Eight terminals serve over 70 airlines including Air Canada, Continental, American Airlines, JetBlue, and Virgin. Bob Hope Airport at Burbank (BUR) is convenient for passengers travelling to destinations in Hollywood and downtown LA on airlines such as JetBlue, Southwest, Delta, and Alaska Airlines. If you're going straight to Disneyland, a cheap flight to Long Beach Airport (LGB) will be most convenient with discount fares available on airlines such as JetBlue, Allegiant, US Airways, Delta, and Alaska Airlines.

Flying to Orange County John Wayne Airport (SNA) or LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) will increase your travel time, but Los Angeles flights are often cheaper. Airlines serving these airports include American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United, and US. WestJet also has direct flights from Calgary and Vancouver to SNA.

The 'sunny California' ideal is based on Los Angeles' warm weather which remains fairly consistent throughout the year. The peak travel season is from June to August when LA is flooded with families enjoying the school holidays. While it is fairly easy to find cheap flights to Los Angeles during the rest of the year, book well in advance if you're travelling around Christmas, New Year's, a long weekend, or around special events such as the Oscars or Grammy Awards. January to March is LA's wettest period and there can be days of heavy smog in the summer months.

Flights to Los Angeles will bring you to one of these airports — Los Angeles International (LAX), Bob Hope Airport (BUR), Long Beach Airport (LGB), Orange County John Wayne Airport (SNA), or LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT).

Arriving at LAX

The airport's eight terminals are connected by a free shuttle bus service and passengers with connecting flights can find shuttle stops at the exits of each terminal. The service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so no matter when your Los Angeles flights arrive, you're guaranteed transport to your next flight.

Public Transit: LAX Shuttle Buses C and G transport passengers to the LAX City Bus Center and the Metro Green Line Aviation Station respectively. The pick-up location for this service can be found under blue signboards outside each terminal. For buses to Los Angeles, check the information boards in the baggage claim areas but for a quicker trip to the city, try the LA Metro from Aviation Station. Tickets are cheap at $2-4 USD with discounts available for seniors.

Airport Shuttle: The pick-up areas for shuttle buses are under green signboards outside each terminal. The LAX FlyAway bus service operates between the airport and destinations in LA, San Fernando Valley, and Orange County. Average fares are between $5-$25 USD with discounts available for children. Shared-ride shuttle van services can be found under orange signboards and are operated by SuperShuttle and Prime Time Shuttle. Fares are approximately $25 USD for trips to downtown LA. A number of private companies also operate scheduled services from the airport and a complete list is available on the airport's website.

Hotel Shuttle: Hotel courtesy shuttles operated by hotels can be found under red signboards outside each terminal. Contact your hotel before your flight to check if they provide this service.

Taxi: Taxi stands are located outside each of the airport's eight terminals under yellow signboards. There is an airport surcharge or about $4 USD on all trips from LAX and an indicator for average fares to destinations in and around Los Angeles is available at the taxi stand.

Car Rental: Eleven companies including Advantage, Alamo, Hertz, and National collect passengers from waiting areas under purple signboards outside each terminal and transport them to rental car parking lots at the airport. For off-site companies, contact them via courtesy phones located in the baggage claim areas. The LAX Shuttle Bus C takes passengers to Parking Lot C where courtesy buses transport them to the Off-Airport Rental Car Terminal.

Arriving at BUR

Burbank's airport has only two terminals and when you've disembarked from your Los Angeles flights, ground transportation can be found outside the the arrivals exit at Terminal B.

Public Transit:

Bus: Bus Routes 794, 165, and 94 connect BUR with downtown Los Angeles. Average fares are between $6-$8 USD, making this a cheap travel option from the airport.

Train: You can take Amtrak or Metrolink trains from the Bob Hope Airport Train Station located within walking distance of the airport's terminals. Average fares for a one-way trip to downtown LA's Union Station are $2-$8 USD with discounts for seniors and students. There is also a free shuttle service between the airport and Downtown Burbank Train Station.

Airport Shuttle: Shared-ride and private shuttle services are provided by four airport-authorized companies including SuperShuttle and Roadrunner. Average fares to downtown LA are $15-$20 USD for a shared-ride trip and about $80 USD for a private van.

Hotel Shuttle: There are nine hotels in the LA and Burbank area that provide courtesy pick-up shuttles from the airport. Call ahead before you board your flight to check if your hotel offers this service or visit the airport's website for a complete list of hotels.

Taxi: Taxi stands are found outside the airport's terminal buildings. These are run by recognized operators and passengers should avoid taking a cab that belongs to companies not registered with the airport. Average fares to downtown LA are $45-$50 USD.

Car Rental: On-site rental car counters are located at Terminal B and include companies like Alamo, Avis, Hertz, and National. A shuttle bus collects passengers from a stop opposite Terminal B's baggage claim area for transfers to off-site companies like Advantage, Budget, and Fox.

Arriving at LGB

Compared to other airports which serve flights to Los Angeles, Long Beach Airport is relatively small. There is only one terminal building across two levels for the arrival and departure of flights from five airlines. Ground transportation services can be found right outside the terminal exits.

Public Transit: Buses on Long Beach Transit Route 111 will take you from the LGB to destinations in the Long Beach area. Average fares for one-way trips are about $2 USD. If you prefer to travel by rail, board trains on the Metro's Blue Line at Wardlow Station and then connect to Purple Line trains headed to Union Station in downtown LA. Fares for this route are about $3-$5 USD. Discount tickets are available for children and seniors on both routes.

Airport Shuttle and Chauffeured Car Services: Shared-ride and private shuttle services as well as vans, buses, and limousines for hire are available from the airport to destinations in and around the Los Angeles area. For a complete list of service providers, visit the airport's website. Average fares for shared-ride trips to downtown LA are $35-$40 USD while private vehicles can cost $70-$100 USD.

Taxi: A taxi stand is located outside the terminal and fares are charged at flat rates depending on your destination. Trips to downtown LA are approximately $70-$75 USD while a trip to Disneyland will cost about $45-$50 USD.

Car Rental: Car rental companies including Avis, Budget, Hertz, Alamo, National, and Enterprise are located in the Airport Ground Transportation Center located opposite the terminal building.

Arriving at SNA

When booking cheap flights Los Angeles' John Wayne Airport, remember that the airport is about an hour away from downtown LA. The cheapest travel option is via buses operated by the Orange Country Transportation Authority or Metro and Metrolink Trains where tickets cost as little as $5 USD. Alternatively you can take a shared-ride shuttle, chauffeured car, or taxi service from outside the Ground Transportation Center and there are also rental cars available at the arrivals level of Terminals A and B.

Arriving at LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT)

For a cheap travel option from the airport to Los Angeles, a number of bus and rail services such as MetroLink and Amtrak connect ONT airport with Los Angeles for prices ranging from $5-$20 USD. There are also on-demand shared-ride shuttles and taxis available, but for chauffeured cars and hotel shuttle services, passengers are advised to book at least 72 hours before boarding their Los Angeles flights. Shuttle services run between the airport and the Consolidated Rental Car Facility where you can also connect to off-site rental company facilities.