Domestic Flights
Given the distances in the USA, domestic flights are often unavoidable. New York → Los Angeles is 4,500 km — 40 hours by car, 5.5 hours by plane.
Important Domestic Routes
| Route | Flight Time | Price (one-way) |
|---|---|---|
| NYC → Los Angeles | 5.5h | $80–250 |
| NYC → Miami | 3h | $60–200 |
| NYC → Las Vegas | 5h | $80–220 |
| NYC → San Francisco | 6h | $100–280 |
| Los Angeles → San Francisco | 1.5h | $50–150 |
| Los Angeles → Las Vegas | 1h | $40–120 |
| Miami → Orlando | 1h | $40–100 |
| LA/SF → Honolulu (Hawaii) | 5.5h | $150–350 |
Airlines
- Classic: United, American, Delta — largest route network, incl. carry-on, seat selection extra
- Budget: Southwest (2× checked bags included!), JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier — often significantly cheaper, but baggage fees $30–45 per bag
- Booking Tip: Google Flights for price comparison, search Southwest separately (not listed on comparison portals!)
Baggage Rules (typical)
| Airlines | Carry-On | Checked Baggage |
|---|---|---|
| United/American/Delta | Included | from $35/piece |
| Southwest | Included | 2 bags included! |
| Spirit/Frontier | Personal item free | from $40–65/piece |
💡 Tipp
Southwest Airlines is the insider tip for domestic flights: 2 bags of 23 kg INCLUDED, free rebooking, and often the cheapest prices. But: only bookable on southwest.com, not via Google Flights!
