10 Best International Flight Deals From Los Angeles in December 2026

The best international flight deals from Los Angeles in December

The Maldives has the largest relative difference in the final ten, but Mexico City has the lowest actual ticket price by a wide margin. At $272 return, its modest 14% difference matters less than the fact that the entire flight costs less than many domestic U.S. itineraries.

Several warmer destinations gain value from the calendar. Puerto Plata enters its high season in December, Panama begins moving out of its wet season, and Aruba combines consistently warm temperatures with dates just as its winter peak season begins.

The European and North African fares work differently. Seville gives you a December city trip with Christmas activity already underway, Cairo avoids the punishing summer heat, and Grenoble offers access to the Alps but comes with genuine early-season uncertainty.

1. Malé, Maldives

At $793 return against a typical fare near $1,123, the Maldives ticket is roughly $330 below typical. For a trip this far from Los Angeles, getting the airfare below $800 is notable even before seasonality enters the calculation.

December is one of the reasons the fare makes the list. The Maldives' official tourism organization identifies December through April as the northeast monsoon, or dry season. Rain is still possible in the tropics, particularly around the seasonal transition, but the dates move into the part of the year generally associated with more favorable beach conditions.

The airfare is only the beginning of the budget. Malé is usually the gateway rather than the final destination, and speedboat, domestic flight or seaplane transfers can add substantially to the total cost depending on the island or resort.

Seven nights is therefore best used for one well-chosen island rather than trying to turn the trip into a complicated multi-stop itinerary.

Best for: a major long-haul beach trip where the fare and the season align.

2. Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Puerto Plata costs $521 return compared with roughly $719 typical, a difference of about $198.

The seasonal case is strong. Dominican Republic Tourism identifies December through April as Puerto Plata's high season and recommends the period for drier, more comfortable weather. The wider country also sees some of its most pleasant conditions from December through early March, with warm days and cooler mornings and evenings.

Eight nights gives enough time to go beyond a resort. Puerto Plata combines beaches with its historic center, the Malecón, Mount Isabel de Torres and inland activities such as the Damajagua waterfalls.

That variety is useful because it prevents the value of the ticket from depending entirely on seven or eight perfect beach days.

Best for: a longer winter-sun trip with both beach and non-beach options.

3. Panama City, Panama

Panama City is $566 return against a typical fare around $781, approximately $215 below typical.

The dates land during Panama's transition into its dry season. December through April is generally the drier half of the year, although early December can still sit on the boundary between wet and dry patterns.

That makes Dec 7-14 more interesting than the same fare a month earlier, but it should not be sold as a guarantee of cloudless weather. The stronger argument is that conditions are trending in the right direction while the trip arrives before the Christmas and New Year peak.

Panama City itself supports a full city itinerary, but seven nights also create room for the canal, rainforest excursions or a second stop rather than keeping the entire trip inside the capital.

Best for: travelers who want warm weather plus a city and nature mix rather than a resort-only holiday.

4. Grenoble, France

The Grenoble fare is $988 return compared with roughly $1,372 typical, a difference of about $384. That is one of the larger dollar gaps in the list.

The dates need careful handling. Grenoble is surrounded by Alpine ski areas, but Dec 2-9 is still early in the 2026 season. Alpe d'Huez lists its Nordic area from December 5, while several lower or closer ski areas around Grenoble do not list their main 2026 openings until December 19.

In other words, this is not a ticket to book on the assumption that every nearby resort will be fully operating. Snow, altitude and individual resort schedules matter.

The fare works better for someone comfortable treating Grenoble as an Alpine base and checking the specific mountain conditions before committing to ski days. The city and surrounding mountains still provide a winter setting even if the ski plan remains flexible.

Best for: an early-season Alps trip for travelers willing to verify snow and resort openings.

5. Oranjestad, Aruba

At $425 return, Aruba sits around $156 below its typical fare of roughly $581.

December is an interesting transition month. Aruba Tourism places December through April in the island's peak season, with average temperatures around 81°F and warm ocean conditions. At the same time, October through December are technically Aruba's modest rainy season.

Those two facts are not contradictory. Aruba receives relatively little rainfall overall, and the tourism board describes showers as generally brief and intermittent rather than all-day events.

The island also lies south of the main Atlantic hurricane belt, while the Atlantic hurricane season itself has ended by these dates.

Best for: a reliable warm-weather escape where brief showers are an acceptable trade-off for a $425 fare.

6. Manila, Philippines

Manila at $608 return is around $175 below its typical fare near $783. The percentage is smaller than the top five, but the absolute price is extremely competitive for a trans-Pacific itinerary from Los Angeles.

The Philippine weather service divides the year broadly into a rainy season from June through November and a dry season from December through May. December through February is specifically identified as the cooler dry period.

That makes Dec 1-8 appealing for an urban trip, but Manila should not be treated as a beach destination simply because the country is tropical. The stronger use of the week is food, neighborhoods, history and the city's unusually long Christmas season.

Seven nights can also justify a short extension beyond Metro Manila if the itinerary is planned carefully, though domestic transport adds another layer to the trip.

Best for: one of the strongest long-haul cash fares in the list, especially for an Asia city trip.

7. Seville, Spain

Seville costs $580 return compared with roughly $733 typical, about $153 below typical.

The airfare is not as dramatically reduced as the Maldives or Grenoble fares, but December works well for a city built around walking, architecture and food. The extreme summer heat is gone, while the city's Christmas program is already underway.

The Dec 4-12 dates also catch the beginning of the annual creative crafts fair, which the official Seville tourism site lists from December 5 through January 5. Seasonal lighting and Christmas markets add a reason to visit beyond simply accepting cooler winter weather.

Eight nights is generous for Seville alone, which creates room for a slower itinerary or another Andalusian stop.

Best for: a mild-weather European city trip with Christmas activity already underway.

8. Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City has one of the smallest percentages in the table but arguably one of its most useful fares. $272 return is only about $45 below the typical $317 price, yet the total airfare is by far the lowest of the final ten.

December is outside the city's main rainy season, which generally runs through the warmer months into early autumn. Winter days can be mild, while nights and early mornings can become surprisingly cold because of the city's elevation.

The dates are also culturally interesting. December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, when the Basilica of Guadalupe becomes a major pilgrimage destination. Posadas then begin on December 16, just before the return flight.

That also means visitors should expect unusual activity and crowds around the Basilica on December 12 rather than treating it as a normal sightseeing day.

Best for: the strongest pure airfare value in the article and an eight-night food-and-culture trip.

9. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech costs $632 return versus approximately $723 typical, so the difference is around $91.

This ticket makes the list because December changes how the city can be experienced. Summer heat is no longer the defining constraint, making the medina, gardens and longer days of walking easier to build into an itinerary. Evenings can be cool, so this is not a winter-sun trip in the same sense as Aruba or Puerto Plata.

The Moroccan tourism office emphasizes Marrakech as a base not only for the medina and Jemaa El-Fna but also for excursions toward the Atlas Mountains and nearby landscapes. Eight nights are therefore easier to justify if the trip extends beyond the old city.

December is also associated with the Marrakech International Film Festival, although travelers should check the confirmed 2026 festival dates separately before planning around it.

Best for: travelers who want markets, food and culture without Marrakech's summer heat.

10. Cairo, Egypt

Cairo is $579 return against a typical fare around $666, a difference of roughly $87.

The percentage is modest, but December is one of the reasons the route survives the cut. Egypt's official tourism guide gives Cairo an average December high around 20°C and low around 11°C, a dramatically easier range for long outdoor sightseeing days than summer.

That matters in a destination where much of the value comes from being outside: the Giza pyramids, historic Cairo and archaeological sites are easier to approach when extreme heat is not controlling the schedule.

Six nights is enough for Cairo and Giza without forcing every major sight into two or three exhausting days. As with Marrakech, evenings can feel cool, so packing for desert heat alone would be a mistake.

Best for: history-focused travelers who care more about comfortable sightseeing weather than the largest fare percentage.

Which Los Angeles December deal is actually strongest?

For the biggest long-haul fare opportunity, the Maldives stands out. The ticket is $330 below typical, stays under $800 and arrives as the dry season begins.

For the lowest cash price, Mexico City wins easily. A $272 return fare for eight nights is compelling even though it is only 14% below typical. It is a good example of why percentage and actual price need to be considered separately.

Puerto Plata and Aruba are the clearest winter-sun options. Puerto Plata has a stronger seasonal shift into its high season, while Aruba offers a lower airfare and exceptionally consistent warmth despite December still sitting at the end of its modest rainy period.

Manila is the sleeper deal. $608 from Los Angeles is not the largest percentage difference, but it is a very low long-haul fare for dates that begin in the Philippines' cooler dry season.

Grenoble is the most conditional recommendation. The fare difference is strong, but the Dec 2-9 dates are too early to assume that every nearby ski area will be fully operational. For a traveler willing to check conditions and stay flexible, it remains interesting. For a guaranteed ski holiday, later December would be safer.

Quick answers

What is the cheapest international flight deal from Los Angeles in December 2026?

Mexico City is the cheapest of the ten selected fares at $272 return for travel from December 9 to 17.

Which Los Angeles December deal is furthest below its typical fare?

Malé in the Maldives is 29% below its typical fare, with a $793 return ticket compared with roughly $1,123 typical.

What is the best warm-weather deal from Los Angeles?

Puerto Plata and Aruba offer two of the strongest combinations of warm weather, December timing and airfare. Puerto Plata is $521 return while Aruba is $425.

Is December a good time to visit the Maldives?

December marks the beginning of the Maldives' dry northeast monsoon season, which generally runs through April. Tropical rain can still occur, particularly around the seasonal transition.

Can you ski near Grenoble in early December?

Possibly, but do not assume every resort will be open. Some higher-altitude areas begin operating in early December, while several ski areas around Grenoble list later December openings. Snow and operating schedules should be checked before booking ski-specific plans.

Is Manila a good destination in December?

December begins the Philippines' cooler dry season, making it a more comfortable period for an urban Manila trip than the hotter months later in the dry season.

Why include Cairo when it is only 13% below typical?

Because the actual $579 fare is reasonable for the distance and December temperatures around 11°C to 20°C make long outdoor sightseeing days considerably more practical than during Cairo's hottest months.

Related reading

• 10 Best International Flight Deals From Los Angeles in November 2026
• 10 Best International Flight Deals From Chicago in December 2026
• 10 Best International Flight Deals From New York in December 2026
• 10 Best Flight Deals From Vancouver in December 2026