Alternative Airlines is a flight-search and booking platform where you can quickly and easily book domestic flights within the USA. We ticket hundreds of airlines, including the major carriers that you've heard of, as well as smaller airlines that operate regional flights in the USA.
Fly with United, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Spirit, and many other airlines flying within the US. To book a domestic flight, use the search form at the top of the page to search for flights between any 2 destinations within the US.
We have over 40 different payment methods to choose from. Pay using one of our payment plan options such as Afterpay, Affirm or Klarna. Perfect if you're looking to budget for your trip.
Or, pay using an e-wallet like PayPal, bank transfer, or even cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and more.
Here at Alternative Airlines, we ticket hundreds of airlines, operating affordable flights to US cities. Our clever flight algorithm makes it easier to book and will find you the best value flights by default (the most direct route for the best price), however, if you're looking for really cheap flights, you can use our filters to sort the results by cheapest flight.
There are a number of airlines that fly within the USA, with both large international carriers that offer connections to other parts of the world and smaller regional airlines that fly state-to-state.
Here are all the airlines that fly within the US and are available to book on our site:
Alaska Airlines is one of the largest airlines in the US, offering internal flights from its main bases at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Portland International Airport (PDX), Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), as well as several other top destinations across the US.
Allegiant Airlines offers domestic flights all around the US. It has a number of hubs and flies all across the country, however, has a strong focus on flying to destinations including Asheville (NC), Bellington (Washington), Cincinnati (Ohio), Ft. Lauderdale (FL), Fort Walton Beach (FL), Grand Rapids (Michigan), Indianapolis (Indiana), Knoxville (TN), Las Vegas (Nevada), Los Angeles (CA), Myrtle Beach (SC), Oakland (CA), Orlando Sanford (FL), Phoenix (AZ), Pinellas County (FL), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) and Punta Gorda (FL).
American Airlines is one of the world's largest carriers. It has a massive domestic route network, flying to almost every state. It has hubs in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Miami, Chicago, New York City, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Dallas and flies to more than 100 destinations within the US.
Avelo Airlines is one of the newest US carriers. It focuses purely on domestic flights and doesn't fly any international routes. From its bases in Burbank, New Haven and Orlando, Avelo flies to more than 20 destinations, including Nashville, Chicago, Tampa, Fort Myers, Phoenix and more.
Created by one of the co-founders of JetBlue, Breeze Airways is another newer airline in the US. The airline offers domestic flights only and flies point-to-point flights. This means that, unlike many other US domestic airlines, it isn't based at a particular airport. Instead, it flies between lots of different US cities.
Overall, Breeze flies to more than 20 destinations. However, its route network is growing very quickly. Some of the key US cities that it flies to include Charleston, Hartford, New Orleans, Norfolk, Provo and Tampa.
Delta is one of the biggest carriers in the US, and — along with its regional subsidiary Delta Connection — has one of the most complete domestic route networks in the country. It flies to over 200 destinations within the US in total.
Frontier Airlines is a low-cost US carrier that flies to more than 100 destinations across the US, with hubs in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham and Trenton. Flying domestic with Frontier is a great option if you're looking for cheap airfares across the US.
Hawaiian Airlines is the main airline in the US connecting Hawaii with the rest of the country and is based at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). As well as flying from Hawaii to other states in the US, the airline also offers flights to several destinations on the island.
JetBlue is a US airline that has its main base at John F. Kennedy International Airport and flies to more than 80 destinations across 30 states.
Southwest Airlines is a low-cost airline with bases in Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Orlando and Phoenix. Not only is the airline the largest low-cost carrier in the US, but it's also the largest airline in the world.
Spirit Airlines is a US airline that flies all throughout the US. It flies to around 50 destinations overall, with bases in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Sun Country Airlines is a low-cost airline that services a wide variety of destinations in the United States, including Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Based at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
United Airlines and — in particular — its domestic subsidiary, United Express, flies to over 90 destinations across the US. It has hubs at Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C but flies all across the country and reaches a total of over 30 states.
United Express is made up of seven different individual airlines that operate on its behalf, under the United brand. These seven airlines are Air Wisconsin, CommutAir, ExpressJet, GoJet Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airways and SkyWest Airlines.
There are so many different places and cities to experience within this one country, whether you are wanting a weekend city break in Los Angeles, a culture trip to New Orleans or a relaxing beach holiday in the Florida Keys. A domestic flight can be the perfect holiday or getaway that you need. You can even combine domestic flights with fly-drive trips - this is where you book a domestic flight from one city to another, then drive the rest of your trip to other cities in the USA. Use our search engine now to explore the different places that you could get away to on your next break. Commuter flights are often domestic, as they depart from a small regional airport and land after a short flight in a larger airport.
Domestic flights within the USA are also popular with business travellers, especially red eye flights. Airlines that operate red eye flights within the US include JetBlue, Delta, Sun Country and more.
Internal USA flight check-in time will always depend on the airline that you're flying with and your airport of departure (if you choose to check-in at the airport).
However, generally, online check-in opens 24 hours before scheduled flight departure time and closes one hour before. If you check-in at the airport, most domestic flights within the USA close check-in around 30—45 minutes before scheduled flight departure time.
Take a look at the check-in times for these airlines flying domestically within the USA:
Domestic flights, also known as internal flights, are flights which depart and land in the same country.
Domestic flights are much more popular in larger countries such as the USA. An example of a domestic flight in the USA is one which may depart from New York and land in Los Angeles, therefore staying within the USA.
Internal flights are often cheaper than their international alternatives, due to their typically shorter travel time and costs. Some common airlines that run domestic flights within the USA are Delta, Spirit Airlines, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines.
Search for domestic U.S. flights using the Alternative Airlines search bar at the top of the page to see what cheap domestic flights we offer. Perhaps you want to visit lots of cities within America, in which case our multi-city flight planner will be very handy! If you prefer to fly directly from one city to another without any stopovers and may want to check out our direct flight guide.
The major airport in Hawaii is Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), which is located on the island of Oahu. This is also known as Honolulu International Airport.
Airlines that fly into Honolulu International Airport from domestic locations in the US include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines.
McCarran International Airport is the best airport for flying into Las Vegas
There are a number of airlines that fly into Las Vegas from elsewhere in the US. These include Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Contour Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Global Crossing Airlines, JSX, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Express, among many others.
To get to Miami, the best option is to fly into Miami International Airport (MIA). This airport operates over 1,000 flights a day to 167 destinations, many of which are domestic destinations.
There are many airlines which fly within the USA to Miami Airport. These include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines.
There are many airports which have domestic flights from elsewhere in the US into the state of Florida. To fly into Miami, please see above. To fly into Orlando, you’ll need to use Orlando International Airport. For Fort Lauderdale, you can use Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport. For Tampa; Tampa International Airport.
All the major American carriers fly into the majority of these airports from domestic US destinations. Airlines that commonly fly to Florida include Alaska Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Spirit Airline and United.
We’re super proud of our Trustpilot rating, but don’t just take it from us. See why millions of others love booking their flights through Alternative Airlines
You don’t need a passport when flying domestically within the USA, however you will need some form of acceptable photo identification(ID) for adult travellers aged over 18. This can include a passport or passport card, driver's license or a DMV-issued photo ID card.
However, identification requirements will be changing and getting more secure as of October 2020. If you are planning on using a state-issued ID or license when flying domestically within the USA, they will have to be Real-ID compliant. This has already been enforced in 28 states, including Texas, Arizona and Florida, are beginning to require a Real-ID approved driver’s license, which will roll out to the whole of the USA in October 2020.
Children under 18 are not required to provide ID when flying domestically and travelling with an adult. It may be a good idea to contact the airline you are travelling with to ensure that they don’t have any additional policies, or be prepared to have identification ready to show in case you are asked.
Check-in times for domestic flights in the USA vary depending on the airline. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) recommends arriving at the airport 2 hours prior to departure for domestic flights to allow time for check-in, bag drop and security. However, different airlines have different cut-off times for check-in so be sure to check with the airline you are flying with if you are unsure.
We have compiled a list of some common airlines which fly popular domestic routes, along with their recommended arrival time for check-in for domestic flight within the USA:
American Airlines - 1.5 hours, closing 45 minutes prior to departure
Delta Airlines - 2 hours, closing at least 30 minutes prior to departure
Spirit Airlines - 2 hours, closing at least 30 minutes prior to departure
Alaska Airlines - No later than 40 minutes prior to departure
United Airlines - At least 30 minutes without checked baggage and at least 45 minutes with checked baggage.
Over the years there have been many airlines that have unfortunately ceased operations. The current airlines listed above now operate many of the routes that these defunct airlines would have flown. Defunct airlines include Pan American World Airlines (ceased in 1991), Continental Airlines (ceased in 2003), North American Airlines (ceased in 2014), and Trans States Airlines. Find out more in our blog: Airlines that we loved and lost.
As explored in our blog regarding the cheapest day to buy flights, there is no set time or day to buy the best domestic flights in the USA. Regardless, this blog provides many tips which can make sure that you are getting the best deal using Alternative Airlines. You can also get cheap domestic flights in the USA by choosing to buy a red eye flight. Because of their obscure flying times, red eye flights are often cheaper than other flights.
If you're looking for an affordable way to pay for domestic flights within the USA, why not choose Affirm as a payment method? Affirm allows you to pay off your flights in monthly payments.
Alternative Airlines is here to help. Take a look at our guide to international airports in the USA to help you plan your journey.
Most airlines will offer free hand luggage when travelling domestically within the USA. Some also offer one piece of checked baggage, typically weighing up to 23kg / 51lbs.
However, this is very general and it is best to check with the airline that you are travelling with to see their individual policies regarding baggage for domestic flights in the USA, checking both weights and dimensions permitted as part of the baggage rules.
Alternative Airlines offer online booking for your domestic flights. Use our search bar to search and buy domestic flights with different airlines to destinations across the USA. You can select a currency you wish to pay in whether such as U.S. Dollars, GBP, or Euros.
Interstate flights are flights between different states. All interstate flights in the US are domestic flights, however, not all domestic flights can considered interstate flights. For example, a flight departing from Los Angeles and arriving in San Francisco cannot be considered 'interstate' as both cities are in the same state of California. Read our guide on interstate flights in the USA to find out more information.
Absolutely! At Alternative Airlines, you can search for and book flights within Texas easily by using our search form at the top of the page. Read our guide on booking flights within Texas for more information, including which airlines offer frequent routes within Texas and which airports you can fly to/from.
Of course! At Alternative Airlines, we offer many flexible Buy Now Pay Later plans at checkout including Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna and more. This means you can spread the cost of your domestic US flights over time and not have to pay the full cost of your tickets upfront! Take a look at all of the flight financing options available on our site.
Other pay-later options available in the US (but not currently available at Alternative Airlines):
