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Peak Season:
California is blessed with pleasant weather most of the year, meaning the peak season is year-round. Flights to California can be expensive because of this, so make sure to book in advance to get the best savings on your flight tickets. If you’re a movie fan, you should book your flights to California around February, more specifically to Los Angeles, as it is home to the Academy Awards. You’ll find cheap flights to California are extremely difficult to find around this time of year, as well and in June and August.
Off Season:
The cheapest flights to California are best found around January. Parts of California class this as the rainy season so expect the best discounts on your flight tickets here. That said, cheap flights to California aren’t overly common, so plan in advance and book early to get the best savings.
To find the cheapest flights to California, it’s recommended to book your flight tickets as early as 6 months in advance. If you’re not flexible enough to plan that far ahead, aim for a minimum of 7 weeks before booking your flights to California. Take into consideration events like the Academy Awards when looking into flights to California as this will increase the price a lot. If you’re flying into Los Angeles try to sit on the right hand side of the plane to get spectacular views of the Hollywood sign, the L.A River and the San Gabriel mountains. Being flexible is the best way to secure a cheap flight to California.
Flights from London (All airports) to Los Angeles – 11 hours 20 minutes
Flights from Manchester to San Francisco – 13 hours 20 minutes
Flights from Birmingham to Los Angeles – 13 hours 00 minutes
Flights from Glasgow to San Francisco – 12 hours 10 minutes
Depending where you want to go, your flights to California will probably be operated by British Airways, Air Canada, KLM or Iberia. The cost of flights to California are relatively similar regardless of who you fly with, so it’s better to compare each airline and see what benefits they offer. British Airways for example offer complimentary snacks and drinks for the duration of the flight.
Los Angeles International:
Downtown LA is located around 30km from LAX airport. The easiest and cheapest option is to get a free shuttle bus from the airport. Outside of arrivals you should take either shuttle G or C. C takes you to the Metro bus centre and from there you can either continue on your way to downtown LA or if you’re staying in Hollywood or Santa Monica, you can find means of transport from here. You can also jump in a taxi if you want convenient and fast travel from the airport, however the price won’t be cheap and it is expected that you tip your driver. This is a good option if there are a few of you to split the fare.
San Francisco International:
The easiest and most convenient way to travel from the airport to the city is from the BART station. It’s located in the International Terminal, and you can take a free AirTrain from all terminals to the BART station. You will need to buy a ticket from the BAET station before you travel, or you can book in advance and exchange your voucher for the correct ticket, which is kind of like a debit card which you keep for your time in San Francisco. Another option is to get a taxi from outside of the airport, although this can be costly if you’re travelling alone. You can also take a shuttle or shared van from the airport, simply tell the driver where you want to go and he’ll add you to his route and tell you the price.
(prices quoted are from London)