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Transcontinental Flights

Find out all information on transcontinental flights, which airlines offer them and book a transcontinental flight with Alternative Airlines.

About Transcontinental Flights

By definition, a transcontinental flight is any flight that flies from one side of a continent to the other.

Although transcontinental flights can be operated across any continent. The term 'transcontinental flight' usually refers to a non-stop flight that flies from the east coast to the west coast of the USA, or vice versa.

Transcontinental flight cans also be operated from other parts of North America, such as between south coast USA to the north of Canada. Or between eastern and western Europe. However, these routes are not as popular as the routes between west coast and east coast USA.

If you'd like to book a transcontinental flight, use the search form at the top of the page.

Best Airlines for Transcontinental Flights

Between East Coast and West Coast USA

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines offers transcontinental flights daily between East Coast and West Coast USA destinations. In total, Alaska offers more than 70 nonstop East Coast to West Coast flights a day.

Alaska airlines operate from the following East Coast airports:

- Boston
- New York JFK
- Newark
- Philadelphia
- Baltimore
- Washington-Dulles
- Washington-Reagan
- Raleigh
- Charleston
- Orlando
- Fort Lauderdale

to the following West Coast cities:

- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- San Diego
- Portland
- San Jose

Alaska Airlines offer two types of fares for transcontinental flights. The saver fare is Alaska's most basic fare, with assigned seats, a non-refundable ticket. Whereas the main fare gives passengers the option to change or refund their ticket, as well as better boarding and baggage options.

Passengers can also enjoy Alaska's inflight entertainment system on their own personal device by connecting to its onboard wifi.

American Airlines

American Airlines offer flights between a number of East Coast and West Coast airports. The airline has a number of East Coast and West Coast hubs from which it operates transcontinental flights.

East Coast hubs

- Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina
- Miami International Airport, Florida
- JFK Airport, New York
- LaGuardia Airport, New York
- Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Virginia

West Coast hubs

- Los Angeles International Airport, California

In addition to flying transcontinental from its hub, it also offers a number of East Coast to West Coast flights from other smaller airports.

American Airlines offers special fare classes for transcontinental flights that aren't offered on other regular domestic flights within the USA. These are named 'Flagship Business Transcontinental' and 'Flagship First Transcontinental' classes, which respectively offer Business Class and First Class standard service and seats.

Flagship Business transcontinental tickets are available on flights between:

- Los Angeles International Airport and New York JFK
- San Francisco International Airport and New York JFK
- Los Angeles International Airport and New York JFK

Flagship First transcontinental tickets are available on flights between:

- Los Angeles International Airport and New York JFK
- San Francisco International Airport and New York JFK

Delta

Delta Airlines and its regional brand Delta Connection offer multiple daily transcontinental flights. The airline has two East Coast hubs and two West Coast hubs.

East Coast hubs

- New York JFK
- LaGuardia Airport, New York

West Coast hubs

- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington

Similarly to American Airlines, Delta offers its premium fare class 'Delta One' on transcontinental flights. This is unique to transcontinental flights and is not something that is offered on other domestic flights from Delta.

The Delta One cabin is Delta's most luxurious cabin and features 180-degree full-flat beds, dedicated service from flight attendants who only serve the Delta One cabin, priority boarding, check-in and baggage handling. In addition to this, Delta One passengers can enjoy access to Delta's airport lounge, 'Delta Sky Club'.

Delta One is available on select Delta transcontinental routes, including between Los Angeles International and Ronald Reagan Washington, Los Angeles International and New York JFK and Boston Logan International and San Francisco International.

Jetblue

JetBlue offers transcontinental flights from four airports on the East Coast across to 12 different airports on the West Coast.

JetBlue operates from the following East Coast airports:

Between Boston Logan International Airport and:

- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington
- Portland International Airport, Oregon
- Sacramento International Airport, California
- Oakland International Airport, California
- San Francisco International Airport, California
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, California
- Burbank Bob Hope Airport California
- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- Ontario International Airport, California
- Long Beach Airport, California
- Palm Springs Beach Airport, California
- San Diego International Airport

Between New York JFK and:

Between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport and:

- San Francisco International Airport, California
- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- San Diego International Airport

Between Orlando International Airport and:
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Washington
- Portland International Airport, Oregon
- Sacramento International Airport, California
- Oakland International Airport, California
- San Francisco International Airport, California
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, California
- Burbank Bob Hope Airport California
- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- Ontario International Airport, California
- Long Beach Airport, California
- Palm Springs Beach Airport, California
- San Diego International Airport

JetBlue offers its premium 'Mint' class for transcontinental flights, which is found onboard its fleet of Airbus A220s.

Southwest

Southwest offers transcontinental flights flying from five East Coast airports across to seven West Coast airports. The airlines introduced route flying between East Coast and West Coast USA in 2018, with a service between Baltimore-Washington International and Los Angeles International.

Now, the airline flies more than 15 different transcontinental routes. Southwest operates transcontinental services from the following East Coast airports:

Between Newark Liberty International Airport and:

- San Diego International Airport
- Oakland International Airport

Between Norfolk International Airport and:

- San Diego International Airport, California

Between Orlando International Airport and:

- Oakland International Airport, California
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, California
- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- San Diego International Airport, California

Between Tampa International Airport and:

- Los Angeles International Airport, California
- San Diego International Airport, California

Southwest only offers Economy Class for transcontinental flights, with basic service.

Spirit Airlines

Although Spirit Airlines only offers one transcontinental flight from its two East Coast hubs (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles), the airline still offers flights from other East Coast to West Coast airports. For example, from Baltimore—Washington, Spirit Airlines offers non-stop flights to both Los Angeles International and Seattle-Tacoma International.

Spirit Airlines doesn't operate transcontinental flights as frequently as other US carriers, but the airline still makes a good option if the route you want to fly is available.

Spirit Airlines does offer its Big Front Seat on select transcontinental services. Which is the airlines' equivalent to other domestic First Class seats.

United Airlines

With hubs at Newark Liberty International, San Francisco International and Los Angeles International, United Airlines has a dedicated 'transcontinental service' for all transcontinental routes.

The airline offers complimentary hot meals to Economy Plus passengers on all coast to coast flights. In addition to its domestic Business Class service which includes full-flat beds and a number of other premium amenities.

United Airlines offers a number of transcontinental flights outside of its hub airports too. For example, the airline offers services from Boston Logan International to Los Angeles International. Among many other coast to coast flights.

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