Best Nonstop Flights from LAX for a Weekend Trip

Not every nonstop flight from LAX makes sense for a weekend trip. A red-eye to Miami might be nonstop, but you'll spend half your Saturday recovering. The best weekend flights combine short flight time, good Friday evening departure options, and a destination that rewards a short visit.

Tier 1: under 2 hours (perfect for weekends)

Las Vegas. 1 hour. Multiple Friday evening options. Cheap. The single most popular weekend flight from LAX for good reason.

San Francisco. 1.5 hours. Alaska, Southwest, United, Delta all run evening departures. Different world from LA in every way.

Phoenix/Scottsdale. 1.5 hours. Guaranteed sun. Pool-centric weekend with great restaurants.

San Diego. 1 hour. So close it almost feels like cheating. But if you're flying from the Valley, it's faster than driving.

Tier 2: 2 to 3 hours (strong weekend trips)

Denver. 2.5 hours. Best all-around weekend trip. Works every season. Great food, beer, and outdoor access.

Portland. 2.5 hours. Food cart capital. Bookstores. Coffee. Nature everywhere.

Seattle. 2.5 hours. Pike Place, Capitol Hill, ferry to Bainbridge. More depth than you'd expect.

Salt Lake City. 2 hours. Skiing in winter. Hiking in summer. Surprisingly good downtown.

Cabo. 2.5 hours. International beach weekend. Passport required, worth it.

Tier 3: 3 to 4 hours (doable weekends)

Austin. 3.5 hours. Live music, tacos, Barton Springs. Worth the longer flight.

Puerto Vallarta. 3 hours. More authentic Mexico than Cabo. Walkable old town.

Dallas. 3 hours. Reinvented downtown. Great food scene. Cheap hotels.

Mexico City. 3.5 hours. World-class food, culture, and energy. Best international value.

Tier 4: 4+ hours (weekend stretch)

Nashville. 4 hours. Hot chicken, honky-tonks, genuine charm. Tight for two days but memorable.

New Orleans. 4 hours. Irreplaceable. No other city in America is like this. Worth the stretch.

Chicago. 4 hours. Deep dish, architecture, jazz. Packs more into 48 hours than most cities do in a week.

How we rank these

Our Weekend Score weighs departure time (after-work Friday flights score highest), return time (Sunday afternoon is ideal), flight duration (shorter is better), total price, and hotel quality. The result naturally favors Tier 1 and 2 destinations, which makes sense: for a weekend trip, less time flying means more time living.

See current scores and prices for every route at LAX weekend trips.