[Travel] Advice on flying to California

[Worthing exile]

Hi, are there any experienced California travellers on here?

I want to plan a trip later this year and was wondering if anyone could advise on the best value Airline? I don't have to fly in to LAX as will be hiring a car but wouldn't want to land too far from the west coast and lose two days driving.

Also are there cheaper days to fly?

Thanks

 

[Withdean11]

Can't really go wrong with Norwegian.

 

[AK74]

Can't really go wrong with Norwegian.

Apart from their financial problems.

 

[dazzer6666]

Hi, are there any experienced California travellers on here?

I want to plan a trip later this year and was wondering if anyone could advise on the best value Airline? I don't have to fly in to LAX as will be hiring a car but wouldn't want to land too far from the west coast and lose two days driving.

Also are there cheaper days to fly?

Thanks

Been a few times including to San Fran & Vegas a couple of months ago (flew to SFO and then on to Vegas). Personally would try to avoid LAX, especially if hiring a car - we found the traffic horrendous everywhere around the area. Don’t like the city much either.......much better places to go.

Not used them myself but understand Norwegian have some good deals from Gatwick to Oakland.

 

[Bozza]

Florida is my specialist subject, not California. We are, however, flying to California in a few weeks time.

If you're able to travel out of school holidays, you could probably find economy fares for c£400 direct, which I think is fantastic value (but I have to travel within school Summer holidays and pay the associated premium). You may get a bit cheaper with one of the US carriers flying indirect.

I use three price comparison engines for all flight searching - Kayak, SkyScanner and Google Flights.

The latter has a very useful feature which shows, graphically, fares based on different departure dates so do your search and then look at the price graph to see if you can save money by going earlier or later. Then adjust the length of your trip up and down by a day at a time to see what impact this has.

BA Holidays can be very decently priced for a flight/car combo so check them out. They fly direct to Oakland from LGW if you can fly into the SF area rather than LA - might save you the schlep to LHR.

Norwegian also have a few West Coast routes out of LGW. I've never flown with them, the offering seems a bit basic but if you're of the "It's just a flight from A to B" mindset they're well worth checking out.

 

[Springal]

Hi, are there any experienced California travellers on here?

I want to plan a trip later this year and was wondering if anyone could advise on the best value Airline? I don't have to fly in to LAX as will be hiring a car but wouldn't want to land too far from the west coast and lose two days driving.

Also are there cheaper days to fly?

Thanks

Yeah as mentioned, LAX if you want to drive not a good idea. Look at other airports. San Jose, Oakland etc. Could probably look at indirect flights for less if you don't mind a bit of a change / wait.

I think Norwegian had a sale this weekend for about £280 in Economy

 

[Worthing exile]

Thanks for the replies. Yes we will deliberately avoid the School holidays. An advantage to being grandparents ha ha.

 

[Chicken Run]

Can't really go wrong with Norwegian.

Agreed

 

[Chicken Run]

Agreed

Flown to LAX 6 times in the last 5 years and Norwegian were best value and from LGW, normally have to go LHR other Airlines

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Apart from their financial problems.

And very cramped long haul conditions.

 

[The Spanish]

United or American are the best to fly transatlantic with, esp. business class. Both very new products.

 

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

Do not trust American Airlines with your luggage

 

[middletoenail]

United or American are the best to fly transatlantic with, esp. business class. Both very new products.

United, really? They're widely recognised as one of the worst!

 

[The Spanish]

United, really? They're widely recognised as one of the worst!

both airlines are incomparable long haul to short haul domestic.

 

[Wendy Wilkins]

Hi, are there any experienced California travellers on here?

I want to plan a trip later this year and was wondering if anyone could advise on the best value Airline? I don't have to fly in to LAX as will be hiring a car but wouldn't want to land too far from the west coast and lose two days driving.

Also are there cheaper days to fly?

Thanks

Wouldn't class myself as an 'experienced' traveller but we have just returned from doing this trip. We flew in an out San Fran which was a doddle. We went fairly close to LA and I would recommend that you avoid going anywhere near it; it's one big traffic jam. Highlights on our trip were SF, Pacific Highway, Santa Barbara, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite and Napa Valley.

 

[Rugrat]

Thanks for the replies. Yes we will deliberately avoid the School holidays. An advantage to being grandparents ha ha.

As others have said, Norwegian from Gatwick. Buy the upgrade to Premium a couple of weeks before for around £200 o/w and it's still cheaper than the others

 

[dazzer6666]

Wouldn't class myself as an 'experienced' traveller but we have just returned from doing this trip. We flew in an out San Fran which was a doddle. We went fairly close to LA and I would recommend that you avoid going anywhere near it; it's one big traffic jam. Highlights on our trip were SF, Pacific Highway, Santa Barbara, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite and Napa Valley.

Big yes to all of of the above from me. There are some nice places between LA and San Diego too, with San Diego itself also worth a visit. If going out to the Canyon or in Vegas, the Hoover Dam is well worth a visit too. Didn’t think San Fran was particularly great to be honest, like many cities OK for a few days but expensive (that said it’s much nicer than LA, which is a dump).

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

United, really? They're widely recognised as one of the worst!

They are (certainly on their internal US flights, don't know about their international ones as always use Norwegian) - they also eliminated a very good carrier (Continental) when they merged with them about 7 years ago.

 

[elninobonito]

Air New Zealand had London to LA Return for £225pp yesterday for Nov to March.

Look at Santa Monica, you don't need a car to get to and from the Airport, its 10 mins away and no LA traffic! You can travel by Metro ($7 day pass) to visit Hollywood, Universal and see the walk of fame etc. Stay by the beach and then pick up a car to go elsewhere from there.

 

[Weststander]

Florida is my specialist subject, not California. We are, however, flying to California in a few weeks time.

If you're able to travel out of school holidays, you could probably find economy fares for c£400 direct, which I think is fantastic value (but I have to travel within school Summer holidays and pay the associated premium). You may get a bit cheaper with one of the US carriers flying indirect.

I use three price comparison engines for all flight searching - Kayak, SkyScanner and Google Flights.

The latter has a very useful feature which shows, graphically, fares based on different departure dates so do your search and then look at the price graph to see if you can save money by going earlier or later. Then adjust the length of your trip up and down by a day at a time to see what impact this has.

BA Holidays can be very decently priced for a flight/car combo so check them out. They fly direct to Oakland from LGW if you can fly into the SF area rather than LA - might save you the schlep to LHR.

Norwegian also have a few West Coast routes out of LGW. I've never flown with them, the offering seems a bit basic but if you're of the "It's just a flight from A to B" mindset they're well worth checking out.

We've used Norwegian and they're excellent. The only thing that lumps them with Ryanair is a budget price reputation.

Friends flew to California with Norwegian at Easter, as a family, saved fortunes and were equally impressed.