Fly coast to coast for as low as $206

18 May 2023

Looking for a quick getaway while the weather is still warm and don’t want to spend a lot on airfare? This deal is for you: Fly from New York City to California for as little as $206 round-trip.

The Big Three airlines (United, Delta and American), along with Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, are offering discounted fares from New York City and Newark to Los Angeles and San Francisco for trips from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9, making these deals perfect for a late-summer trip.

These fares won’t last long, so book your trips as soon as possible.

ANDREY DENISYUK/GETTY IMAGES

Deal basics

Airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and United Airlines.
Routes: From Newark and New York City to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
How to book: Directly on your chosen airline’s website.
Travel dates: Sept. 6 to Sept. 9.
Book by: ASAP.

Thanks to AirfareSpot for finding this deal. The site features travel deals for airfare and hotels across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Sample flights

These deals are only for flights from the New York City area. However, if you’ve wanted to visit the West Coast, don’t miss out on these deals.

Here are a few flights that caught our eye:

American: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), starting at $206.
United: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting at $217.
JetBlue: JFK to LAX, starting at $241.
Delta: JFK to SFO, starting at $248.

While AirfareSpot links these deals to Expedia, we recommend booking your flights directly with the airline of your choice since airlines’ websites tend to be more reliable in the event your flight experiences a delay, cancellation or booking change.

These deals also apply to travel occurring from Sept. 6 to Sept. 9 — it appears as if all the major airlines are selling discounted flights to the West Coast at that time.

For an American flight from JFK to SFO, the carrier’s basic economy $206 fare is the cheapest option on its website. Keep in mind that basic economy is American’s most restrictive seat class, as passengers must pay for seat selections and cannot make any changes to their flights. Passengers flying basic economy must also pay additional fees to check bags.

AA.COM

Also, if you’re looking to keep your fare at $206 round-trip, the return flight will include a layover at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

AA.COM

Seat selection starts at $20 and goes all the way up to $90 for roomier seats.

AA.COM

Maximize your purchase

Use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

These flights are great if you’re looking for a short trip and if California is on your travel wish list. Even though these are all basic economy fares, flights to California from the East Coast can cost upward of $500.

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