The 7 Most Exciting New Nonstop Flights from LAX

There’s news — both good and bad — from the airport. Ticket prices are officially back up (and in some cases, higher than ever), due to a number of factors: recovering demand, higher fuel costs and airlines simply trying to make up for two years of losses.

None of that is great news, but there’s a silver lining: After two years of cut and reduced service, many airlines are now expanding their offerings, with more flights (and more nonstop service) to places we want to go. Here, some vacation ideas, “workcation” getaways and even domestic travel that won’t break the bank.

Rome, Italy

The heart wants what it wants — as travel to Europe has been one of the things Americans have mostly had to forego during the last few years, that’s exactly where people are heading. ITA Airways, which stands for Italia Trasporto Aereo, is an Italian airline owned by the state, and the new iteration of Alitalia. After re-launching as ITA last fall, the airline has now added a daily direct flight between Los Angeles and Rome beginning June 1, 2022. According to Aviacion’s data, that’s the only direct flight linking Rome and the West Coast this summer, so get ready to book as soon as June hits.

Barcelona, Spain

Level is a budget airline that specializes in long-haul flights to Europe via the West Coast. Originally launched in 2017, the airline has come roaring back this summer with several direct options; they are launching a flight from LAX to Barcelona three times a week, and adding a fourth trip per week to LAX’s schedule on June 1, 2022. Owned by parent company International Airlines Group, or IAG, which also runs more prominent airline brands like Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia, Level is a Oneworld affiliate, so members can rack up their miles while taking advantage of a lower-cost flight.

Dublin, Ireland

Aer Lingus, another airline owned by IAG, is back with a direct flight from LAX to Ireland. The service resumed on May 12, after a two-year pause due to the pandemic. Catching a flight directly from LA to Dublin on Aer Lingus will be possible once daily, four times a week. SFO offers a similar direct flight to the Irish capital as well, and plans for an additional West Coast direct out of Seattle are slated for July of this year.

Providence, Rhode Island

If any West Coasters have their sights set on Rhode Island, then another newcomer, Breeze Airways, has a brand new direct flight that will do the trick. Even though flights to New York, Boston and Connecticut are a dime a dozen, it’s much more difficult to fly direct to a less trafficked city like Providence, and Rhode Island is still a lengthy train ride away from those hubs.

Maui, Hawaii

Even during the height of the pandemic, Americans were traveling to Hawaii in droves, eager for a taste of the tropics while staying within US borders. In March the islands dropped their COVID testing requirement, and it’s no surprise that flights from several California airports have increased since. Hawaiian Airlines themselves announced that for the first time since 2016, they’re resuming a nonstop service between Oakland and Kona airport. SFO will move up to offering two direct flights daily between San Francisco and Honolulu during the summer, and flights out of LAX will head directly to Maui in 2022 between June 11 and August 15.

Sydney, Australia

For quite some time, getting in and out of Australia as a non-citizen was a non-starter. Now that the worst seems to be over, a tourism boom is likely surging in hubs like Sydney and Melbourne. That’s likely why Delta is increasing their nonstop flights to Sydney to 10 per week. The hike came in mid-December, but will extend through the summer.

Savannah, Georgia

One of the booming industries following the COVID-19 pandemic is, apparently, budget airlines. A few even launched during the height of the virus itself, including JetBlue founder David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways. Previously mentioned for their new domestic service to Providence, the airline also launched a direct service from LAX to Savannah this summer — and getting down South has never been cheaper. The introductory fares for that route are $100 one-way, beginning on July 1, 2022. The path will run Mondays and Fridays, giving visitors just enough time to spend a week living it up down in Georgia.