Cheap flights to
California

Summer is the high season throughout California, likely because schools are out and it’s the peak travel time for most US travelers. Beaches like those in Santa Monica and San Diego get especially busy in the summer. But different parts of the state get busy during other times of the year, too.

The high season in wine country is August through October, which coincides with harvest season at the wineries. This is also a popular time to visit San Francisco, which sees warmer weather in the early fall than in the summer. Then there are the major events, like Coachella (in the Coachella Valley in April), San Francisco Pride (June), the Rose Bowl (early January), Comic-Con (in San Diego in July), and more. If you’re planning to visit for a major event, look for flights well in advance. And if you’re planning a trip in general, check to see whether any big events are happening that could impact your flight prices. And like any US city, flights can be expensive over holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, when people travel to see family.

Weather in California is nice year-round, but if you’re hoping for a beach vacation, June-August is the best time to visit Southern California. Northern California sees the best weather from August to October. The best weather coincides with the busiest time to travel. That said, it’s never really cold in most of California. If you’re planning to visit cities and don’t need a beach, visit during the off-season, like January and February, when crowds are smaller and flights are cheaper.

There are more than 20 airports in California, serving major hubs and smaller cities. The most popular airports are Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Diego International Airport (SAN), Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Oakland International Airport (OAK), and San José Mineta International Airport (SJC). You can find flights from most medium and large US cities to these airports. Other, smaller airports also serve popular tourist destinations, like Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, Palm Springs International Airport, and California Redwood Coast–Humboldt County Airport.

From most medium-sized US cities, you can find direct flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and many cities also have direct flights to San Diego. You can reach most cities in California with one connection or by flying into a nearby city with an airport and renting a car.

If you are traveling from within the US, you’ll need to follow the rules for the airports you’re flying in and out of. Most airlines require animals to be kept in carriers during transit. Additionally, California has rules for pets arriving from other states. Dogs must be healthy, have documentation of vaccines, and have a certificate of health from a veterinarian. Cats must be healthy.

If you’re visiting California from outside of the US, you’ll have to follow the rules set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These guidelines vary depending on the type of pet you have, but in general, pets are required to have vaccinations and certain documentation.

California is a large state, so the flight time really depends on where you’re departing from and where in California you’re visiting. Flights from New York and around the Northeast take about 6 hours, whether you’re flying to San Francisco or LA.

Flights from Miami, Atlanta, and elsewhere in the Southeast take anywhere from 5.5 hours to 7.5 hours, depending on where you’re flying. From Chicago and elsewhere in the Midwest, and Texas and other places in the South, flights to LA and San Francisco range from 3.5 to 4.5 hours. From Arizona and around the Southwest, flights to LA and San Diego are about 1.5 hours, and to San Francisco, they’re about 2 hours. From Seattle and the Pacific Northwest, flights range from 2-3 hours depending on where in California you’re flying.