Raging wildfires force flight cancellations and closings of Los Angeles attractions

The lobby of Shutters on the Beach, the luxury oceanfront hotel in Santa Monica that is usually abuzz with tourists and entertainment professionals, had by Thursday transformed into a refuge for Los Angeles residents displaced by the raging wildfires that have ripped through thousands of acres and leveled entire neighborhoods to ash.

After embarking on some of the longest flights in the world, sitting in a plane cabin for hours on end is beginning to feel normal.

A week on from the outbreak of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, it might be tempting to think it must be all over by now. But almost daily warnings of high winds show the worst is not over for LA’s residents.

If you’re looking to help the thousands of people affected by the fires in Southern California, your unused miles could help. 

There are currently more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles who have been displaced by the ongoing wildfires. As Travel + Leisure shares hotels and vacation rentals with significantly reduced rates for Angelenos who are evacuating or have lost their homes, the question becomes: How much will insurance actually cover for short- or long-term hotel stays? Put another way, how significant do hotel discounts need to be in order to not cost displaced Angelenos money out of their own pockets?

As devastating wildfires continue to sweep through the Los Angeles region, cruise lines are stepping up to provide flexibility for affected travelers through more lenient cancellation policies. 

Words can barely do justice to the devastation that has unfolded across Los Angeles this week amid the raging wildfires that have erupted everywhere from Pacific Palisades to Pasadena.Entire neighborhoods have been wiped off the map and residents have lost a lifetime of treasures.At last count, the death toll from the unprecedented four-day fire event stood at 10 and more than 9,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged.The Biden Administration has swiftly responded to the climate change-driven crisis. The president visited California on Wednesday and later vowed that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the disaster assistance costs for California for the next 180 days.“I told the governor and local officials, spare no expense to contain these fires,” Biden said. “We’re doing literally everything we can at the federal level.”The president has sent 400 additional federal firefighters to the state and more than 30 firefighting helicopters and planes. Canada is also providing firefighting aircraft.While all of these measures and promises have brought comfort to California, Biden only has 11 more days in office. And President-elect Donald Trump has taken the opposite tact, roundly criticizing California officials for the fires and  spreading misinformation and falsehoods that have since been debunked.In addition to the Biden Administration, the travel industry has provided an outpouring of assistance and support for Los Angeles and its impacted residents.Local organizations such as the Hotel Association of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board are pitching in, as are international, national, and regional tourism industry operators including Airbnb, Delta Airlines, Internova, and Signature. Here’s a closer look at what’s unfolding.

Amtrak, in partnership with the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, is offering $10 fares on its Pacific Surfliner train service for anywhere on the LOSSAN Rail Corridor to provide those impacted by the devastating wildfires with a low-cost transportation method. 

Two cruise lines are offering flexible cancellation fees to travelers affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, which continue to burn a week after they broke out.

A local rail company is making it easier to travel across California for those who have been displaced by the wildfires, offering rides for $10 or less on Amtrak across the state.

Wildfires in Los Angeles County continued to burn on Monday, January 13, 2025, as firefighters worked to contain portions of the deadly Eaton and Palisades fires, at 14% and 33% containment as of Monday morning. A total of 24 people were reported dead on Sunday evening.

The Los Angeles wildfires have collectively destroyed more than 12,000 buildings and homes and scorched over 40,000 acres as of Monday, January 13.