Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [357]
Palm Springs International Airport (code PSP; 760-318-3800; www.palmspringsairport.com) Easy in, easy out.
San Diego International Airport (code SAN; 619-231-2100; www.san.org) Some international flights to Mexico, Canada and the UK.
Santa Barbara Airport (code SBA; 805-967-7111; www.flysba.com) Tiny and hassle-free.
Major domestic and international carriers serving Southern California are listed below.
DOMESTIC AIRLINES
AirTran (code FL; 800-247-8726; www.airtran.com)
Alaska Air (code AS; 800-426-0333; www.alaskaair.com)
American Airlines (code AA; 800-433-7300; www.aa.com)
Continental (code CO; 800-525-0280; www.continental.com)
Delta (code DL; 800-221-1212; www.delta.com)
Frontier Air (code F9; 800-432-1359; www.frontierairlines.com)
Jet Blue (code B6; 800-538-2583; www.jetblue.com)
Northwest Airlines (code NW; 800-225-2525; www.nwa.com)
Southwest (code WN; 800-435-9792; www.southwest.com)
United Airlines (code UA; 800-241-6522, 800-538-2929; www.united.com)
US Airways (code US; 800-428-4322; www.usairways.com)
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THINGS CHANGE...
The information in this chapter is particularly vulnerable to change. Check directly with the airline or a travel agent to make sure you understand how a fare (and ticket you may buy) works and be aware of the security requirements for international travel. Shop carefully. The details given in this chapter should be regarded as pointers and are not a substitute for your own careful, up-to-date research.
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INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES
Aer Lingus (code EI; 800-474 -7424; www.aerlingus.com)
Aeromexico (code AM; 800-237-6639; www.aeromexico.com)
Air Canada (code AC; 888-247-2262; www.aircanada.com)
Air France (code AF; 800-237-2747; www.airfrance.com)
Air New Zealand (code NZ; 800-262-1234; www.airnewzealand.com)
Alitalia (code AZ; 800-223-5730; www.alitalia.com)
British Airways (code BA; 800-247-9297; www.britishairways.com)
Cathay Pacific (code CX; 800-233-2742; www.cathaypacific.com)
Iberia (code IB; 800-772-4642; www.iberia.com)
Japan Airlines (code JL; 800-525-3663; www.japanair.com)
KLM (code KL; 800-374-7747; www.klm.com)
Lufthansa (code LH; 800-645-3880; www.lufthansa.com)
Mexicana (code MX; 800-531-7921; www.mexicana.com)
Qantas (code QF; 800-227-4500; www.qantas.com)
Singapore Airlines (code SQ; 800-742-3333; www.singaporeair.com)
Virgin Atlantic (code VS; 800-862-8621; www.virgin-atlantic.com)
WestJet (code WS; 888-538-5696; www.westjet.com)
Tickets
Everybody loves a bargain and timing is key when it comes to snapping up cheap airfares. You can generally save a bundle by booking early, traveling midweek (Tuesday to Thursday) or flying in the late evening or early morning.
Your best friend in ferreting out deals is the internet. Start by checking fares at www.expedia.com, www.travelocity.com and www.orbitz.com, then run the same flight request through meta-search engines such as www.sidestep.com or www.kayak.com, which comb the websites of major airlines, consolidators and online travel agencies. If you’re not tied to particular travel dates, use the flexible-dates search tool to find the best fares or consult www.itasoftware.com, which not only finds the cheapest fare within a 30-day period but also alerts you to potential downsides such as long layovers, tight connections or overnight travel.
If you’re based in North America and not loyal to a particular air carrier, you might be able to save a bundle through www.priceline.com or www.hotwire.com, where you name the fare you’re willing to pay, then wait and see if an airline bites.
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CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVEL
Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and air travel is the fastest-growing contributor to the problem. Lonely Planet regards travel, overall, as a global benefit, but believes we all have a responsibility to limit our personal impact on global warming.
Flying & climate change
Pretty much every form of motorized travel generates CO2 (the main cause of