Cheap Flights from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta
Los Angeles (LAX) → Puerto Vallarta (PVR) · 2.5–5.5 hours
Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Puerto Vallarta (PVR) are operated by American, United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Aeroméxico and Volaris among others, with nonstop, with extra seasonal capacity through the US winter. Total journey time is typically 2.5–5.5 hours. You depart from Los Angeles International (LAX) and arrive at Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International (PVR).
| Departure airport | Los Angeles International (LAX) |
|---|---|
| Arrival airport | Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International (PVR) |
| Main airlines | American, United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Aeroméxico and Volaris |
| Routing | Nonstop, with extra seasonal capacity through the US winter |
| Journey time | 2.5–5.5 hours |
| When to book | Two to four months ahead, and five or more for Christmas, Semana Santa and US spring break, which are the three peaks that matter on this corridor and the three that sell out first |
Flying out of Los Angeles LAX
Los Angeles is the West Coast's long-haul anchor and the natural departure point for anything crossing the Pacific. LAX's advantage on India and Southeast Asia routes is directional: westbound itineraries via Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei or Singapore are frequently faster and cheaper from LAX than the eastbound routings a booking site will show you first, because the site is optimising for the shortest map line rather than the actual schedule. Artesia's Little India and the wider Southern California diaspora make this a high-volume corridor where unpublished fares turn over quickly.
What to know before you fly to Puerto Vallarta
Entry requirements for US travellers
US citizens require no visa for tourism in Mexico. Note the entry permission granted on arrival and keep it for departure.
Best time to go
Late November to April is the dry season and the peak, with warm days and cool evenings. The rains arrive in late June and run to October — hot, humid, dramatically cheaper, and the jungle is at its best. The hurricane risk is real but historically lower here than on the Caribbean side.
Airports and arrival
Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International (PVR) is close to the city and the hotel zone, and is also the gateway to Sayulita, San Pancho and the wider Riviera Nayarit to the north — those are a different drive, so check where you are actually staying.
Baggage
Low-cost carriers dominate this route in the winter and their baggage fees are where the cheap fare stops being cheap. We quote fare and bags together so the comparison is honest.
Airlines from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta
Itineraries offer nonstop, with extra seasonal capacity through the US winter.
Getting the best price to Puerto Vallarta
Want a Los Angeles → Puerto Vallarta quote?
Our agents price consolidator fares that Expedia, Kayak and Google Flights never show.
Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta — frequently asked questions
Fares on the Los Angeles–Puerto Vallarta route vary widely by season and how far ahead you book. We do not publish an estimate we have not measured for this pair; call our agents and they will quote the live consolidator fare for your dates.
Carriers on this route include American, United, Delta, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Aeroméxico and Volaris. Others serve it on one-stop itineraries, and the cheapest is not always a name you would expect — the lowest fare we have tracked here was on a carrier outside that list more than once. Itineraries offer nonstop, with extra seasonal capacity through the US winter, and total journey time runs about 2.5–5.5 hours. Which carrier is cheapest changes with the season and the fare bucket rather than staying fixed, which is why we compare them all on every quote.
Plan on 2.5–5.5 hours from Los Angeles International (LAX) to Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International (PVR), including time on the ground if your itinerary connects.
Book two to four months ahead, and five or more for Christmas, Semana Santa and US spring break, which are the three peaks that matter on this corridor and the three that sell out first.
Yes — this route has nonstop service, with nonstop, with extra seasonal capacity through the US winter. Nonstop is not always the cheapest option: a one-stop itinerary on the same dates is frequently a few hundred dollars less, and on a journey of 2.5–5.5 hours that trade is worth pricing rather than assuming. Frequencies change by season, so call us for what is actually flying on your dates.
LAX carries all of the region's long-haul flying, but Southern California has four other airports — Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne and Ontario — that can be far more convenient for the first leg of a connecting itinerary and are often cheaper. If your trip connects anyway, starting it from the airport nearest you rather than fighting across the basin to LAX is worth pricing.
Less than on the long-haul routes, and we would rather say so. These corridors are served by low-cost carriers with genuinely competitive headline fares. Where we earn the call is the total: bag fees on these routes routinely exceed the fare gap, seat and change fees are aggressive, and for a family travelling heavy the cheapest advertised ticket is regularly not the cheapest trip. We price the whole thing. SkyKaro's agents are reachable 24/7, and nothing is charged until an agent has confirmed the itinerary and the price with you.