Cheap Flights from New York to Los Angeles

Q: How much does a flight from New York to Los Angeles cost?

Fares from New York to Los Angeles have recently started around USD $250 for economy when booked in advance. Prices change daily with demand and season — use the live search above to see today's lowest fares across 600+ airlines and travel sites.

Q: Which airlines fly from New York to Los Angeles?

Carriers commonly serving New York to Los Angeles include Delta, American, JetBlue, United, Alaska. Availability and routings change seasonally — the live search shows every airline currently selling this route, including codeshares and budget options.

Q: How long is the flight from New York to Los Angeles?

A typical flight from New York to Los Angeles takes about 6h 15m west / 5h 15m east. The route covers roughly 3,983 km (2,475 miles). Itineraries with a layover will take longer but are often cheaper.

Q: What is the cheapest time to fly from New York to Los Angeles?

Historically, January tends to offer some of the lowest fares on the New York to Los Angeles route as it falls outside peak demand. As a rule of thumb, booking 4–8 weeks ahead and flying mid-week (Tuesday or Wednesday) gives the best chance at a low fare.

Q: Is it better to book New York to Los Angeles one-way or round-trip?

On most New York to Los Angeles itineraries a round-trip ticket works out cheaper per leg than two separate one-ways, but this isn't always true on budget carriers. Compare both in the live search above before booking.

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New York to Los Angeles: what to know before you book

JFK–LAX is US aviation's flagship transcon, and the airlines treat it like an international route: Delta One suites, American's Flagship 321XLR/321T product and JetBlue Mint all run lie-flat seats on a five-and-a-half-hour domestic hop. That premium war has a side effect — economy capacity is huge, and off-peak fares fall under USD $200 round-trip in January–February and after Thanksgiving. Transcon pricing is day-of-week sensitive: Tuesday/Wednesday/Saturday departures reliably undercut Sunday/Monday/Friday.

Booking tips for New York–Los Angeles

✓ If you want a lie-flat seat cheap, set alerts on JetBlue Mint — its sale fares (occasionally under $600 one-way) are half what Delta One and Flagship First charge.
✓ Alaska often prices below the big three on this pair since it uses LAX as a focus city — it's the fare most search engines rank fourth but is worth checking first.
✓ Eastbound red-eyes land at JFK before 7 am; landing that early, Manhattan hotel rooms won't be ready — book the 11 pm departure instead of the 9 pm if you can't check in anyway.

Best time to book New York to Los Angeles

For the New York to Los Angeles route, fares are typically lowest when you book 4–8 weeks ahead and fly mid-week (Tuesday or Wednesday). Historically, January has offered some of the cheapest fares on this route as it sits outside peak demand.

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Pro tip

Set a price alert and run a flexible-date search — moving your trip by a day or two on New York–Los Angeles can change the fare significantly.

New York to Los Angeles flights — FAQ

How much does a flight from New York to Los Angeles cost? +

Which airlines fly from New York to Los Angeles? +

How long is the flight from New York to Los Angeles? +

What is the cheapest time to fly from New York to Los Angeles? +

Is it better to book New York to Los Angeles one-way or round-trip? +

Route at a glance

Lowest price found: USD $250
From: New York (JFK)
To: Los Angeles (LAX)
Flight time: 6h 15m west / 5h 15m east
Distance: 3,983 km (2,475 miles)
Cheapest month: January

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Airlines on this route

Delta, American, JetBlue, United, Alaska

Keep exploring

All flights from New York → All flights to Los Angeles → How to find cheap flights in 2026 →