Deal Alert: Philadelphia and Chicago to California From $119 Round-Trip

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend that you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency, such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using the American Express Platinum Card, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family.

United’s offering insanely cheap tickets from Chicago (ORD) and Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), with prices starting as low as $119 round-trip. These are even cheaper than the $128 round-trip transcons we saw on JetBlue a few days ago! Availability is plentiful for departures from January through March 2017 — this is a perfect excuse to get out to sunny California and escape the frigid temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast.

Airline: United
Route: PHL and ORD to LAX and SFO
Cost: $119+ round-trip in economy
Dates: January – March 2017
Booking Link: Orbitz or Expedia
Pay With: The Platinum Card from American Express (5x on airfare), Chase Sapphire Reserve, Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express, Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or Chase Sapphire Preferred (2x on travel)

Here are a few examples of what you can book:

Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX) for $119 round-trip in March:

Chicago (ORD) to San Francisco (SFO) for $126 round-trip in February:

Chicago (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX) for $126 round-trip in February:

Maximize Your Purchase

Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Platinum Card (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express Premier Rewards Gold or Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

H/T: The Flight Deal

Featured image of Los Angeles courtesy of Getty Images.

If you’re able to score one of these tickets, please share the good news in the comments below!