Getting Here

Getting a ticket to Los Angeles is easy, but getting a cheap flight is not easy.


LAX is among the top ten busiest airports in the world and the third largest in USA after Atlanta and Chicago-Ohare. Therefore, you are blessed with a limitless amount of international flights (it has the most number of direct destinations to Asia Pacific).

You would want to fly to LAX directly from outside of the States as you are required to check out and clear the immigration at the first port of entry of the States. For example, if you fly into San Francisco first, you will have to clear the immigration there and recheck-in your luggage for a domestic flight to LAX. However, you don’t have to go through all the hassle at LAX. Yet, you want to make sure your connecting flight to LAX is at least 2 hours or more behind to avoid missing the flight (immigration line can be long and the officers can be harsh and slow). Therefore, it is always the best to fly directly to LAX. Outbound flight is less strict and you don’t have to recheck-in at the last port of entry.

Since airfare is expensive, it is better to strategize in order to get a cheaper deal. All flights to United States involve at least a stopover if you flight originates from Malaysia and vice versa.

The airlines that we usually fly from KLIA include (with their stopover): 

·         Malaysian Airlines (MH)    – Tokyo-Narita                                 

·       Singapore Airlines (SQ)   – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita (the SIN-LAX direct flight is an all-business class flight and a round-trip costs $6000 and up. So, take the one which transits in Tokyo.)               

·         Cathay Pacific (CX)          – Hong Kong (multiple flights daily)                                         

·         Korean Air (KE)                – Seoul-Incheon (multiple flights daily)                  

·         Japan Airlines (JL)            – Tokyo-Narita

·         Air China (CA)                  – Beijing-Capital

·         EVA Air (BR)                    – Taipei-Taoyuan

·         China Eastern (MU)         – Shanghai-Pudong

·         China Southern (CZ)        – Guangzhou

·         China Airlines (CI)            – Taipei-Taoyuan

·         Emirates Airlines (EK)      – Dubai (multiple flights daily but longer route)

·         KLM (KL)                          – Amsterdam

·         United Airlines (UA)          – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

·         Delta (DL)                        – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

For those in Penang area, if you want to bypass KLIA (or Malaysia Airlines), you can take:

·         Singapore Airlines (SQ)   – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

·         Cathay Pacific (CX)          – Hong Kong (multiple flights daily)

·         China Southern (CZ)        – Guangzhou

·         China Airlines (CI)            – Taipei-Taoyuan

·         United Airlines (UA)          – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

·         Delta (DL)                        – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

Most Penangites favor Singapore Airlines/United Airlines/Delta and Cathay Pacific over MH due to their higher frequency, shorter transit hours and better price. A stopover in Singapore usually implies you have to spend a night in the award winning airport (with free cinema, spa and swimming pool).

For those in Kota Kinabalu area, if you want to bypass KLIA (or Malaysia Airlines), you can take:

·         Singapore Airlines (SQ)   – Singapore & Tokyo-Narita

·         Cathay Pacific (CX)          – Hong Kong

·         Korean Air (KE)               – Seoul-Incheon                                              

For Kuching, the only option is Singapore Airlines (SQ) other than MH.

For JB folks, you can catch your flight in Singapore Changi Airport with greater options.

If you are a government-sponsored scholar, chances are you will have to take Malaysian Airlines.

**Tips: Flights start/terminate at Singapore Changi Airport is generally cheaper even after adding the cost flying down to Singapore. It has greater choice of airlines with far superior frequency to any part of USA even compared to KLIA. You can fly with All Nippon Airways (NH), Delta Airlines (DL) and United Airlines (UA) where all these 3 airlines usually have cheaper price and minimum transit time at Tokyo-Narita unless the Chinese airlines are having cut-throat promotions. These airlines fly to different cities in the States too unlike most other Asian airlines.


When your flight has a stopover in Tokyo (except Malaysia Airlines), make sure you don't have to do any ground travel as Tokyo has 2 international, namely Narita (most common) and Haneda. Most airlines will have lower fare if your flight include arriving in Narita and catching your next flight at Haneda or vice versa. Both airports are about 2 hours away and you have to clear immigration (if you don't have a visa, Japanese immigration might give you a 3-days visa-on-arrival) besides carrying all your luggage.