One of America’s Best Budget Airlines Offers $72 Flights from Boise to California

Depending on where your sense of wanderlust takes you, there’s a good chance that you’ll encounter a layover if your travels take you east. 

But if you’re just looking for a quick trip to enjoy the sun, sand, and sights of California, that’s a different story entirely! The Boise Airport offers nonstop flights to 25 destinations, including nine destinations in the Golden State. 

We’re at a point in the year when things are gray and wet. We bounce back and forth between spring-like temperatures and frigid reminders that it’s very much still winter. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy and want to get out of town for at least a long weekend, or at most, a week-long vacation. 

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If we just describes you, you’re in luck. According to Going.com, which used to be known as Scott’s Cheap Flights, two of the best budget airlines for US domestic flights are on the list of airlines that service Boise with direct flights. Of all the domestic airlines, they only gave that honor to four airlines - Southwest (which also services direct flights out of Boise), JetBlue (which permanently exited Boise in 2022), Breeze Airways, and Avelo (which started offering flights from Boise in May 2022.) 

So when it comes down to it, who can get you to California the cheapest? We visited both the Southwest and Avelo Airlines to find out and it looks like this spring, Avelo has the edge. The only airport they service from Boise is Hollywood Burbank. Depending on the day you chose to fly, departing flights from Boise start as low as $72. Return flights can start as low as $66. 

Before you get bummed that your only option on Avelo is Burbank, there’s something you should know. Fordor’s Travel actually named BUR the single best airport in America, thanks to its smaller crowds, affordable parking, shorter TSA lines and ability to walk between terminals instead of depending on a shuttle. It’s actually closer to major tourist attractions in Los Angeles than LAX, too. On the flipside? They named LAX the worst airport in the WORLD, not just the US!

By the way, some of Southwest’s flights are pretty cheap too. We found both departing and returning flights to some of their direct California destinations as low as $80. You may be flying mid-week, but chasing warmer temperatures and clearer skies doesn’t have to cost a fortune. 

Happy travels!