Route guide
New York to Los Angeles: choosing your airport and your flight
The premium transcontinental market, and the one US route where the cabin you book genuinely changes the trip. Six hours westbound, five or so eastbound, and three New York airports that are not interchangeable.
On this page
Which New York airport
All three serve Los Angeles, and they suit different people.
- JFK carries most of the premium transcontinental flying. If you want a lie-flat seat or the best onboard product, this is usually where it is.
- Newark (EWR) is the better choice from New Jersey and much of Manhattan's west side, and it is a major hub in its own right. It is also weather-exposed, which matters if your schedule is tight.
- LaGuardia (LGA) is closest to midtown and the most convenient ground-side, but it operates under a perimeter rule that limits most long nonstops, so transcontinental options are thinner.
The honest rule: pick by where you are actually starting from. An hour saved on the ground usually beats a small fare difference in the air.
Which Los Angeles airport
LAX has by far the most service and is the default. Worth knowing that the LA basin has alternatives which can be dramatically better depending on where you are staying: Burbank (BUR) for the valley, Long Beach (LGB), and John Wayne (SNA) for Orange County. Traffic in Los Angeles is severe enough that landing at the right airport can save more time than any flight choice.
Why the eastbound flight is shorter
The jet stream. Flying east you have a tailwind, flying west you fight it, so the same route is typically noticeably quicker eastbound. Expect roughly six hours or more westbound and around five and a half eastbound, with a wider spread in winter when the jet stream is stronger.
This is also why the red-eye only runs eastbound. A westbound overnight would land in the middle of the night; eastbound you depart late and arrive in the morning, which is the whole point.
The premium cabin question
This is one of the few US domestic routes where several carriers deploy a genuine lie-flat business product rather than a domestic first-class recliner. If you are going to pay for a premium seat anywhere in the US, this route is where the money buys the most, particularly on the red-eye where sleeping is the product.
Conversely, if you are flying economy on a Basic Economy fare, six hours is a long time to be in the last boarding group without an assigned seat. Read Basic Economy explained before booking this one on price alone.
At a glance
| Typical flight time | About 6 hours westbound, around 5.5 hours eastbound |
|---|---|
| Time zones | Three hours; you arrive earlier in the day than you left, going west |
| Red-eye | Eastbound only |
| Airports, New York | JFK, Newark, LaGuardia (perimeter-limited) |
| Airports, Los Angeles | LAX plus Burbank, Long Beach and John Wayne |
Getting a price for this route
We do not publish fares, on this route or any other. Airfares move constantly and depend on your exact dates and availability, and as a ticket agent we are required to advertise the full price including all taxes and mandatory charges wherever we show one. A number posted here would be wrong by the time you read it.
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are and we will come back with the realistic options and one total price per passenger. If the best answer is a fare you can book yourself in three minutes, we will tell you that too.
Common questions about this route
How long is the flight from New York to Los Angeles?
Roughly six hours westbound and about five and a half eastbound. The difference is the jet stream, and it is larger in winter.
Which New York airport is best for LA?
JFK for the widest choice and the premium transcontinental cabins, Newark if you are west of Manhattan, LaGuardia only if convenience outweighs the thinner options created by its perimeter rule.
Is there a red-eye from Los Angeles to New York?
Yes, and it only makes sense in that direction. Eastbound you depart late and arrive in the morning; a westbound overnight would land in the small hours.
Should I fly into LAX or a smaller LA airport?
Depends entirely on where you are staying. Burbank, Long Beach or John Wayne can save a great deal of driving, and Los Angeles traffic makes that worth more than a modest fare difference.