Compare USA flights

Flights to the United States vary greatly in length and cost, depending on your destination. You can be on the east coast in seven hours, but a flight to the west coast might take over 11. That said, this vast and varied nation is popular with British travellers, and fierce competition on the key routes means you can find some cheap US flights if you shop around.

There are direct flights from the UK to more than 30 US cities, including Washington DC, Chicago, Austin, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami and Boston.

Your entry point makes a difference. Assuming you avoid the summer and Christmas peaks, it's relatively easy to find cheap US flights to the east coast, particularly with low-cost carriers such as Norwegian and Jet2 in the New York market. Moving over to the west coast, you start to see bigger savings from flying indirect: a journey to San Francisco with two stops can be hundreds of pounds cheaper than a non-stop service (and you might even be glad of the chance to stretch your legs).

If you're headed to a major summer holiday destination – think Orlando – and you can't avoid the summer peaks, it's a good idea to search for flight-and-hotel package deals. They'll often work out cheaper than buying your flight and accommodation separately.

Flights to the United States from the UK average out at around 10 hours, but that masks a lot of variation. And it isn't just a question of which coast you are flying to. On the east coast, New York can take as little as 7 hours, while Orlando takes over 9 hours; on the west coast, Seattle takes a little under 10 hours, and Los Angeles over 11 hours. If you're prioritising price, indirect flights are always worth a look, particularly for west coast destinations.

Where do we start? On the east coast, it's all about city culture in the north – Boston, New York, Washington D.C. – and beach life in the south, where Florida stretches down towards the Caribbean. On the west, tech industry giants rub shoulders with hippies and hipsters, creating melting pots such as San Francisco and Seattle.

And a little way inland, the Rockies deliver some of the best skiing in the world. Down south, the likes of New Orleans and Memphis offer infectious rhythms and moreish soul food, all wrapped up in the region's legendary hospitality and charm.

In between, lesser known towns and cities punctuate an ever-changing landscape of deserts, plains, mountains and forests, just begging you to get out there and explore (the US has 60 national parks in total, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and the iconic Grand Canyon).

If you're doing any independent touring at all, car hire in the United States is all but essential. From Route 66 to the Pacific Coast Highway, this is the country that invented road trips. Time to start planning yours…