Summary The high level of competition on many transcontinental routes helps keep prices low.
Ultra-low-cost carriers may offer the cheapest nonstop flights, but additional costs can increase the total price.
Legacy carriers and budget airlines compete fiercely on popular routes, with the latter often winning on price for popular routes like DC-San Francisco and Boston-Seattle.
For those traveling on a budget, trying to score the best deal on flights between the US East Coast and West Coast can prove quite a challenge. With so many airlines and different destinations, finding the lowest far on routes like New York to San Francisco can seem like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
There are several external costs for a traveler to consider beyond just ticket price, as baggage fees and seat selection costs can easily inflate a ticket price upwards. As a result, ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit Airlines may not seem nearly as appealing as one might initially think.
Furthermore, legacy airlines have continued to expand their lowest-price offerings, such as Basic Economy tickets that, on some carriers, even include fees to check carry-on luggage. This article will examine which airlines consistently offer some of the cheapest fares on transcontinental flights in the United States.
Photo: nyker | shutterstock
The longest route
To analyze the most affordable transcontinental offerings, it is best to look at the largest such route in the United States, which connects New York and Los Angeles. Six different carriers fly this connection nonstop, in addition to multiple other airlines that offer stopping services between the two cities.
Photo: Spirit Airlines
As one of the highest-demand routes in the country, it is unsurprising that there is heavy competition between airlines for this city pair, which naturally pushes prices downwards. Spirit Airlines offers the cheapest nonstop flights for a roundtrip itinerary between the two cities next month, connecting Newark (EWR) and Los Angeles (LAX) for just $228, according to discount booking site CheapOair.
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However, passengers should consider the additional costs of bringing baggage onboard this flight, which could easily push the total paid past the numbers other carriers offer. The site lists connecting itineraries from airlines like American for as low as $275.
Two other major connections
Other major routes from the East Coast to the West Coast include flights from Washington, DC, to San Francisco and Boston to Seattle. Like the previous connection analyzed, these city pairs are among the most high-demand and see some of the market’s fiercest competition.
Photo: Catharine Piece | Shutterstock
Budget airlines again emerge as winners between the nation’s capital and the Bay Area, with Frontier offering roundtrip flights for as little as $249. It is, however, a connecting itinerary with a singular layover at the ultra-low-cost carriers operational base at Denver International Airport (DEN). United Airlines offers the cheapest nonstop flights on this route, and they come in at $413, which is likely not enough to justify the increased cost.
From Seattle to Boston, ultra-low-cost carriers do not provide the lowest prices. Alaska Airlines, which operates its primary hub at Seattle/Tacoma International Airport (SEA), offers roundtrip tickets between these two cities for as low as $298.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
With generous carry-on baggage allowances and relatively limited fees for checked bags, it will likely be difficult to beat Alaska on this route. Most legacy carriers cannot compete with this impressively low offering, with United’s cheapest connecting itinerary still sitting north of $500.
Which Is The Cheapest Airline For Transcontinental Flights In 2024?
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