Cheap Flights from Atlanta to Los Angeles (ATL-LAX)

Atlanta to Los Angeles is one of the busiest routes in the nation, spanning the biggest hub in the Southeast with the entertainment capital of the West Coast. From the fastest fare deals to comparison prices to find the aerial distance, scroll down and check out all the specific information on flights from Atlanta and Los Angeles. 

Quick Facts: ATL to LAX

Also Read: Cheap Flights to Atlanta

Flights from Atlanta to Los Angeles: Route Overview

Atlanta to Los Angeles flight is operated between two of the busiest airports in the United States. And the first one is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and the second one is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The route offers many flights from both airports, and a lot of competition among carriers also come in the picture. As a result, plane tickets from Atlanta to Los Angeles tend to come with a fare cap, meaning carriers keep prices from spiking out of control during high-demand periods.

There are several carriers that have non-stop service, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines. These depart all hours of the day. If you fly with one of the United or Southwest partner airlines, there are connecting flights available from Dallas, Phoenix, Denver, or Charlotte (with an additional flight time).

Alternative Airports: Origin (Atlanta side)

All but one commercial airport within metro Atlanta are also either general aviation/private charter airports (Fulton County airport, code FTY) or airports operated by private airlines (DeKalb-Peachtree, code PDK). The closest options at close price range are all more than an hour away, and not always much cheaper with additional travel time, leaving nearly all travelers on this route with little option but to take ATL.

These are typical planning times, not live views and are subject to historic fare patterns, all prices are subject to confirmation before booking.

Alternate Airports: Destination (Los Angeles side)

Other airports within the LA region(s) worth considering may be cheaper or have less congestion (and traffic) than LAX if you prefer not to fly into the airport:

*The prices mentioned are standard pricing parameters based on previous pricing patterns and are not final; plans the exact price for a given tour based on current pricing information before booking.

Read More: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Plane Tickets from Atlanta to Los Angeles: One-Way vs. Round-Trip Prices

You must know that factors from one-way flights to round-trip flights, the day of the week, season, the time you book it all and more will influence the price of your flights from Atlanta to Los Angeles. However, it would be better to verify some basic information before clicking on the booking button.

Some comparison points on the route when traveling one way and Round-trip fares:

• A round-trip ticket is often cheaper per traveler than booking two separate one-way tickets, since round-trip fares typically come with a discounted rate. (which you normally need to pay on your return leg of the journey).
• Budget carriers (Spirit, Frontier) charge nearly the same price for one-way and round-trip tickets, because they sell one way separately, and you don't need to pay more for a one-way ticket on these carriers.
• Overnight flights are fine if you're going back when you weren't sure about or you need to fly to several places and back again too.
• The round trip ticket may be a better value for travel dates that you have if you're going back and forth on Delta or American.

Also Read: Red-eye flights

The cheapest tickets are typically late in winter (around Thanksgiving day, and into Christmas/New Year and spring break). Prices tend to go UP in summer (June-August) and during major holidays. While usually a little costlier than flights with one or more layovers, a nonstop flight can reduce your total travel time by several hours — if time is of the essence, this is an important consideration.

Cheap Flights from Atlanta to Los Angeles: Tips to Save

For this is a very popular route, and much competed on, there are real opportunities for lower expensive flights to drive from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Some simple solutions:

1. Book 3–6 weeks out. Lines that have larger volumes of business, such as ATL–LAX, tend to see domestic fares stabilize about a month before a flight's departure.
2. Fly midweek. Generally, the lower the day of the week, the lower the price to leave; Fridays and Sundays will be higher.
3. Set fare alerts. Fares frequently change on this service; using trackers can alert you to cheap fares.
4. Consider budget carriers. Sitting right with or right under legacy carriers, Spirit and Frontier often offer competitive rates, but don't forget about baggage and seat selection fees.
5. Be open to LA-area airports. Sometimes it's possible to find a better deal or fewer people when you check in at Burbank, Long Beach and Ontario with LAX.
6. Stay out of peak travel weeks. The peak periods for flying this route are summer and large holidays, shoulder-season (September-November and January-March) can be cheaper.
7. Take advantage of one-stop flights. A single connection will save real cash for you on your ticket cost in return for an additional 1-2 hours on your trip. 

Atlanta to Los Angeles Distance

A great circle (straight-line) distance between Atlanta, GA, and Los Angeles, CA is approximately 1947 miles (3134 km), and is the path which the commercial planes generally travel. The actual flown distance depends on the weather the plane has to fly around, and it's route, at typical distances of between 1930 and 1970 miles, depending on the route of the flight and the airline.

In comparison, the flight is almost 2,000 miles and takes about 4 to 5 hours — an example of how much faster flying tends to be than the approximately 32 hour road trip across the United States. 

Direct vs. Connecting Flights: Atlanta to Los Angeles

This can be done with a flight or with layovers, depending on how much time do you want to save vs how much do you want to spend? The two options are compared here: 

• Direct Flight Route: If time is a constraint or one doesn't want to risk a late flight connection or lost luggage during the stopover, direct flights are often the best option. There are no issues on this route, as all four carriers -- Delta, American, Frontier and Spirit -- offer direct service.
• The Connecting Flight Route: Connecting flights tend to cost 20–40% less than nonstop fares, since airlines discount the "change-planes" option to fill seats. United and Southwest don't fly nonstop on this route, so if you book with them, you'll be routed through a connecting hub. There are two drawbacks: it increases your overall travel time (by 2–4 additional hours), and it carries more risk if your connection is tight or your first flight is delayed.
• General Rule: Any routes where it entails less than 40-60 (US Dollars) are virtually always worth the time savings. When the price difference is $100 or higher, it can be a good idea to consider a one-stop ticket from Atlanta to Los Angeles and save the few additional hours.

Read More: Missed Connection

Airlines Flying Atlanta to Los Angeles

• Delta Airlines Company: The largest carrier on this route, with the highest number of nonstop flights from ATL and generally competitive pricing.
• American Airlines: It has a fairly good schedule flexibility available and both non-stop and connecting flights are offered.
• Frontier Airlines: It's an inexpensive, nonstop airline that offers cheap Atlanta-to-LA flights for those who like to stay light on their luggage.
• Spirit Airlines: Another low-cost nonstop option, ideal for travelers focused purely on ticket price.
• United Airlines: Main service providing hubs such as Denver or Houston.

Best Time to Book and Fly

• Best Booking Window: Optimally 3-6 weeks in advance for domestic tickets.
• Ideal Time to Fly: Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Cheapest months: Late January through early March, and September through early November.
• Most expensive months: June through August, and the two weeks around major holidays

Also Read: Cheapest day to fly one-way

What to Expect on Arrival in Los Angeles

Other sought-after areas of Hollywood, Hollywood Village, Venice Beach, Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles are just a few minutes from LAX, making it ideal to be in the middle of it all in the town. Also, remember you have to account for time differences as well; a plane leaving Atlanta circa 12:00 noon Eastern will arrive in Los Angeles about 1–2 p.m. Pacific; keep this in mind when making arrangements in preparation for your flight, such as hotel reservations/schedules, meal plans, or meetings. From the airport there are ride share and rental car counters and the LAX FlyAway bus. 

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