Cheapest time to fly to Los Angeles
There’s so much to do in Los Angeles that, to be honest, it’ll make your head spin. You’ll want to save as much as possible on getting there, so you can let the money rain down on the fun things when you arrive. Los Angeles flights vary in price throughout the year, and since we share the same seasons as the States, January and February — when the city is cooler — are generally the cheapest months to fly. Fly to LA from Birmingham for a low cost in 2024 / 2025, or look out for even cheaper flights from London.
Best time to book flights to Los Angeles
Getting the best deals for your flights to LA is all about timing. Sure, there's opportunities for last minute deals with Netflights, but booking in advance is always more likely to get you cheap flights in 2024 / 2025. We reckon you should book your flights at least 26 weeks before departure to nab the best bargain available — whatever time of year you want to make the trip.
Which UK airports offer flights to Los Angeles?
Which airlines fly to Los Angeles?
Well-known airlines such as British Airways, American Airlines and Air Canada offer frequent and direct flights to and from Los Angeles. Most direct flights depart from Heathrow Airport. Alternatively, several low-cost airlines – including WestJet and Norwegian – fly indirectly to LAX from London Gatwick. Other budget-friendly airlines, like KLM, Air France and Aer Lingus, offer indirect flights to Los Angeles from various UK airports, and stop off in cities like Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin.
Can I fly direct from the UK to Los Angeles?
Yep, you can fly direct to LA from the UK, but only from London Heathrow.
How long is the flight from the UK to Los Angeles?
This'll depend on where you’re flying from. If you’re looking to get to LA that little bit faster, you should take a direct flight from London, which can see you in the air for around 10 or 11 hours. But, if you’re looking to keep costs low, you might want to take an indirect flight. Common cities to stopover on the way to Los Angeles are Frankfurt, Arizona or any other US city on the west coast. If you have a connecting flight, you can expect your indirect flight to take around 15 hours.
Flying to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Your trip to LA will have FUN written all over it, and this starts right at the airport, LAX. Believe it or not, LAX is the world’s seventh busiest airport, serving 88,068,013 passengers in 2019. Its location both within the state of California, and the entire USA, means it serves as a convenient connection point for international travellers, with numerous links to Mexico, Central America and Australasia. And with a scale appropriate for its high volume of passenger traffic, LAX has eight terminals, as well as the additional Tom Bradley International Terminal. It also happens to be the only airport to rank within the top five US airports for both passenger and cargo traffic.
But LAX is more than just an airport. For one thing, it's also an, er, art gallery? Across its eight terminals, visitors can find 11 sites that have seen its public spaces transformed to showcase exhibitions and installations. So, there is more to LA than its airport — but the airport is seriously cool.
On arrival and getting around LAX
Look, we'll be honest, LAX is big. It's what we at Netflights would refer to as a proper whopper. But it's shape is designed as such to help travellers negotiate it with ease. Its U shape, with a traffic loop and parking garages in its centre, make it pretty easy to navigate even for first time visitors — and there'll always be a friendly face to help those that need it.
Getting around the airport itself is made easier by the LAX transport system. Travel between terminals is offered for free by the landside terminal shuttle bus, which runs clockwise in a loop. These buses tend to depart every ten minutes and take a couple of minutes to travel between each terminal. Alternatively, you can pound the pavement and walk instead. Terminals 4 to 8 make sure it’s a pleasant stroll whatever the weather, offering passengers and visitors both underground and above-ground walkways.
Getting to the city from the airport
LAX is around 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Now, this doesn't seem all that far — but LA has notoriously bad car traffic, so it’s best to plan your route as efficiently as possible. So, what can you do? Well, there's four different transport options between the airport and the city: taxi, a private shuttle, the bus or the metro. All of these come with their merits and drawbacks. For example, a taxi or private shuttle might be the most convenient option, allowing you to simply step out of the airport and into the passenger seat, but it will be far more costly than a bus or the metro. LAX has a fixed price of around $46 for the shuttle, while a bus ticket will cost around $10. The metro option is cheaper still, with tickets from as little as $1.35 — but it’ll be far less time-efficient. Why? There isn't a direct line to the airport at the moment, so getting from the airport to downtown Los Angeles will require two or three changes. We know, it makes us sad too.
Things to do in LA in 2024 / 2025
Ah, California dreamin’. To many, the bright lights of Los Angeles capture everything exciting about America. The stardom. The glitz. The glamour. The adventures at every turn. If you’re unsure where to start with planning your LA trip, let's give you a helping hand!
In the footsteps
LA, you might just have heard, is a pretty big deal when it comes to film-making. There's this little place called Hollywood. Do you know it? Whether you want a snap of the famous sign for the Insta grid or a walk in the literal footsteps of the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, this is a town where imaginations run wild and dreams literally come true. Who knows who you might bump into in them there hills!
Family fun
If the whole family wants to get their share of thrills, then few places have more to offer than LA. Want to take the little ones to Disneyland? Or live among the imagination of Hollywood’s greatest minds at Universal Studios? There are so many options for a wild day out — just take your pick.
Hit the beach
What’s a jaunt to LA without a trip to one of the world’s most famous beaches? Grab a bicycle and ride along the boardwalk of Newport Beach, or get your tan on with the bronzed bods of Malibu. The options are endless, and if you’re a fan of surfing — or the Beach Boys — then you’ve probably guessed that LA is the place for you.
Don’t forget before you fly
If you’re travelling from the UK to anywhere in the USA, you’ll need to apply for a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) waiver. This, along with a valid passport, will grant you entry past immigration at LAX. Otherwise, remember that the temperature is usually pretty warm in LA. Even in wintertime, it’s usually around the 20°C mark, but come summer the heat ramps up. As such, make sure to pack accordingly — and that includes sun cream!
