Routes
Popular US flight routes
Guides to busy US city pairs, written around the decisions that actually matter: which airport to use, how long the flight really takes in each direction, and where the awkward part of the journey is hiding.
New York to Los Angeles
JFK / EWR / LGA → LAX / BUR / LGB / SNA
JFK, Newark or LaGuardia for the transcon to LA? Who flies nonstop, how long it takes each way, and why the red-eye only runs in one direction.
Read the route guideNew York to Miami
JFK / EWR / LGA → MIA / FLL / PBI
Miami or Fort Lauderdale? The two airports serve different needs and different airlines. Flight time, nonstop carriers and how to pick between them.
Read the route guideChicago to Los Angeles
ORD / MDW → LAX / BUR / SNA
O Hare or Midway for the run to LA, which airlines fly nonstop from each, typical flight time westbound and eastbound, and where connections go wrong.
Read the route guideSan Francisco to New York
SFO / OAK / SJC → JFK / EWR / LGA
SFO, Oakland or San Jose to the New York area. Who flies nonstop, how the premium transcon cabins compare, and why the eastbound flight is shorter.
Read the route guideNew York to Orlando
JFK / EWR / LGA → MCO / SFB
Orlando International or Sanford, which airport suits a theme-park trip, who flies nonstop from the New York area, and what to know flying with children.
Read the route guideWest Coast to Hawaii
LAX / SFO / SEA / SAN / PDX → HNL / OGG / KOA / LIH
Which Hawaiian island, which airport, and whether to connect. Nonstop options from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, plus inter-island hops.
Read the route guideWhat matters more than the fare on a busy route
On the city pairs above, several airlines and often several airports compete, so the headline fare is rarely the whole story. These are the decisions that change the trip:
- Which airport at each end. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and South Florida all have more than one realistic airport. The right one depends on where you are actually going, which airlines fly nonstop from it, and the cost and time of getting there on the ground.
- Nonstop or connecting. A connection can save money but adds a point of failure. If you do connect, keep both flights on one ticket; our guide to missed connecting flights explains why.
- Direction of travel. On transcontinental and Hawaii routes, prevailing winds usually make one direction noticeably longer than the other, which matters for connections and for red-eye timing. Each route guide notes this where it applies.
- The fare type, not just the airline. A Basic Economy ticket on a busy route can cost more in the end once a bag and a seat are added. See Basic Economy explained and baggage fees compared.
- When you book. When to book a flight covers the booking windows that hold up and the 24-hour rule.
Questions about our route guides
Why do the route guides not show fares?
Fares change constantly, and US rules (14 CFR 399.84) require any advertised fare to be the full price including all mandatory taxes and fees. Rather than show a figure that could be wrong by the time you read it, we explain the route and quote real totals on request.
Is a nonstop flight always worth paying more for?
Not always, but a nonstop removes the risk of a missed connection and of a bag going astray at the transfer point. On short trips, or when you have a fixed arrival time, that risk is often worth paying to avoid.
Why is the return flight a different length?
Mainly because of prevailing winds at cruising altitude, which usually help eastbound flights across the US and slow westbound ones. Scheduled times also include taxiing and expected congestion at each airport.
Flying a route we have not covered?
We book everywhere, not only the routes written up here. These exist because they are the markets we are asked about most often. If yours is not listed, send us the route and dates and we will answer in writing.