Cheap Flights from New York to Los Angeles: Airports, Timing & How to Save (2026)

New York to Los Angeles is one of the busiest, most fiercely competed routes in the country — which is good news for your wallet. With three New York-area airports, five LA-area airports, and nearly every major airline fighting for the seats, there's almost always a deal if you know where to look. Here's how to find the cheapest fare on the NYC-to-LA run.

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Which New York airport should you fly from?

"Flying from New York" means one of three airports, and the choice matters for this route more than most.

Airport	Code	Best for	Nonstops to LAX?
John F. Kennedy	JFK	Most nonstops; the busiest NYC–LA gateway	Yes — the most options
Newark Liberty	EWR	New Jersey & west-side Manhattan; United hub	Yes — plenty
LaGuardia	LGA	Close to Manhattan, but limited for this route	Rarely — see below

The LaGuardia catch: a longstanding "perimeter rule" limits long-haul flights out of LGA, so nonstop flights to LAX generally aren't offered there. For a nonstop coast-to-coast flight, fly from JFK or Newark. Search all three anyway — a cheap connection from LGA can still win if the price gap is big enough.

The cheapest months to fly

January is typically the cheapest month on this route — often around 20% below the yearly average, as demand drops after the holidays. February and September are the next-best value windows. The most expensive stretches are summer and the late-December holidays, when everyone's heading to California.

The cheapest days and times

Fly out on a Thursday (often cheapest) and avoid Sunday departures, which tend to be the priciest.
Coming back, aim for a Wednesday and skip Sunday returns.
Consider the red-eye eastbound (LA to NY overnight) — it's frequently cheaper and saves you a hotel night. Westbound, morning flights often price lowest.

Don't forget: LA has five airports too

Once you've picked your New York departure, remember the other end has options. LAX usually has the most competitive fares, but Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne and Ontario can beat it depending on where you're staying. See our guide to which LA airport is cheapest — and if Disneyland's on the itinerary, the cheapest airport for Disneyland.

How to book a cheap New York–LA flight

Compare all three NYC airports and all LA airports on the same search — the route is competitive enough that the winner shifts constantly.
Target January, February or September for the lowest fares.
Book roughly 1–3 months ahead for the best domestic pricing; earlier for summer and holidays.
Set a fare alert so you catch the drops the moment they land.

The bottom line

The NYC-to-LA route rewards flexibility. Compare JFK, Newark and LaGuardia against all five LA airports, aim for January, February or September, fly midweek, and consider the red-eye home. On a route this competitive, a little searching turns a routine coast-to-coast ticket into a genuine deal.

Search flights from New York to Los Angeles

Ready when you are — search live fares from JFK, Newark and LaGuardia to the LA area: