There are five commercial airports in the Los Angeles area: Los Angeles International (LAX), John Wayne/Orange County (SNA), Long Beach (LGB), Burbank (BUR), and Ontario (ONT). LAX is served by more airlines and flights going there may be cheaper.

 

If you plan to visit Seaworld, Legoland, San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park, consider taking a flight to San Diego International Airport.

 

Getting Cheap Flights to California

 

California Last Minute Deal Destination Sale!	Top Hotel Deals in Los Angeles
Visit California Today: Book flight + hotel together and save!

 

Every vacation begins with a frantic search for cheap or discounted flights. Of course you don’t want to pay full price for a ticket, who does? So how can you get cheap flights to California? It's all about timing. The key to getting the lowest fare is to fly when others are not. Here are several things you can do.

 

First of all, and this might already be general knowledge, avoid weekend travel and plan to arrive in Los Angeles or San Diego sometime during the week. Why? Every Jim, John and Harry wants to get away for the weekend on Friday or Saturday. The airlines don’t need to make any accommodations to fill up the planes and can afford to disregard passengers looking for a discount. On Sundays, most people are on their way home because it’s back to work on Monday. So, ticket prices begin to go up on Thursday, skyrocket on Friday and Saturday, and then begin to show a slight decrease on Sunday. So the best days to purchase tickets to San Diego or Los Angeles are Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

Plan your stay in Southern California to include the weekend. Try, at least, to stay through Saturday night, which is the busiest time for airlines and the most expensive day to travel.

 

 

Book your flight as far ahead of time as possible. The earlier you can book your flight the bigger the discount you can get. Why? Because a while back some smart guys and gals at an airline figured out that business travelers tend to schedule meetings at the last minute and have the least flexibility. So while the airlines stick it to the business folk, a well-organized vacationer can take advantage.

On the flip side, if you are a last minute sort of person, you may be able to get a good deal very close to your travel date. This is because, at almost zero hour, the airline is trying to fill up empty seats. This method of purchase is risky, however, and not all companies do this. Always keep an eye out for California Last Minute Deal Destination Sale!

 

Keep your ear to the ground for special deals. Airlines usually offer knockdown prices during the slow periods. If you are not particular about when you want to get to your favorite theme park then this will be a good option for you. Remember, there is no “norm” or set of rules. The price of a trip to southern California can fluctuate with regularity. To stay informed of these deals, subscribe to airline newsletters and alerts and check their websites regularly.

 

Always do a search on kayak engine.(see Kayak box above) It will check all airlines going to Vegas and all major travel sites and return the cheapest fare.

 

 

Use your special status to secure cheaper rates. Are you in the military or do you work in another public service capacity? Are you a student? Are you over 65? If you fit into any of these categories, all you would need to do to qualify for discount fares is show your ID.

 

Look into combining packages. Some companies offer reservations for hotels and car rentals as well as flights. If you book one or more of their services, they will offer you a discount.

 

You may qualify for couple discounts if you are traveling with your significant other, or group rates if you are traveling with a few of your closest friends. Your travel agent can give you more information or you can search for such deals online.

 

Check with clubs that you belong to, like your auto club, wholesale membership club and insurance company, for discount or cheap flights to California. These organizations usually offer incentives like this to promote customer goodwill. You may be surprised at what you find!

 

 

Airlines checked-baggage fees

 

Here are checked baggage fees for main cabin passengers on round-trip flights in the United States and Canada.

 

Airline	First Bag	Second Bag
American	$30	$50
Continental	$30	$50
Delta	No Fee	$100
Jet Blue	No Fee	$40
Northwest	$30	$50
Southwest	No Fee	No Fee
United Airlines	$30	$100
US Airways	$30	$50

 

Note: First class passengers, business class passengers, active military personnel and high ranking member of airline frequent flyer programs are exempt.

On international flights, all passengers are allowed two checked bags free of charge

 

Knott's Area Hotels	Super Shuttle
Disneyland®	Theme Park Tips
Special Deals	Disneyland Resort Express
Los Angeles Area Tours	OC County Area Transit