Flights to Los Angeles

Los Angeles spreads across 500 square miles of beaches, mountains, deserts, and dense urban neighborhoods. The result is a city that feels less like one destination and more like a dozen distinct places connected by freeways and sunshine. From Malibu to Pasadena, Venice Beach to East LA, every part of the region has its own identity.

For first-time visitors, the classic itinerary covers Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, and Santa Monica Pier. But the Los Angeles that locals love runs deeper. Downtown has reinvented itself as a dining and arts destination with The Broad museum, Grand Central Market, and the Arts District. Silver Lake and Echo Park anchor the indie music and coffee scene. Koreatown has some of the best food in the country at any price point.

The beach communities each have their own character. Venice is bohemian and slightly chaotic, with the Boardwalk and canal district. Santa Monica is cleaner and more polished. Manhattan Beach feels like a coastal small town. And Malibu, 30 minutes north, offers dramatic cliffs and surf breaks that have shaped American beach culture.

LAX is the second-busiest airport in the United States and the primary international gateway on the West Coast. Burbank (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), and Hollywood Burbank are smaller alternatives that often have cheaper fares and faster security. LA has notoriously bad traffic, so factor 30 to 90 minutes into any cross-town trip.