To San Diego

Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

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Deals from

Washington, D.C.

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Diego

Prices updated 24 days ago

486,190 searches this week

171 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated May 29, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Round trip

Sort by: Cheapest

August 17 - August 24

Cheapest

IAD - San Diego

$413

$161

Round trip

August 20 - August 24

Cheapest

IAD - San Diego

$432

$161

Round trip

July 20 - August 12

Cheapest

IAD - San Diego

$445

$161

Round trip

July 20 - July 28

Cheapest

IAD - San Diego

$473

$161

Round trip

August 17 - August 31

IAD - San Diego

$380

$162

Round trip

August 20 - August 31

IAD - San Diego

$387

$162

Round trip

August 17 - August 20

IAD - San Diego

$432

$176

Round trip

July 20 - August 13

IAD - San Diego

$443

$191

Round trip

July 14 - July 21

Best

Earliest

IAD - San Diego

$492

$193

Round trip

August 10 - August 13

IAD - San Diego

$436

$208

Round trip

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Route Intelligence — 486,190 Searches this Week

Insights for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

A typical journey from Washington, D.C. to San Diego takes about 12h 55m, including connections. This is a medium-haul route, covering a distance of 3618 kilometers. Given that most itineraries connect at least once, this duration reflects the time spent in transit as well as any layovers.

For travelers seeking cheap flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, prices typically range from $308–$505, with a median fare of $371. Right now, fares are below the typical level. Only 1% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that finding exceptional value may require careful timing. New deals appear almost daily for this route, so setting up a price alert could be beneficial.

When is the cheapest time to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego? The data indicates that February is the most affordable month, with a median fare of $214. January also offers lower prices, with a median of $228. Following these, May presents another relatively cheaper option, with a median fare of $317.

How much is a round trip from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Regular price: $318 - $434

Prices are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is $318 to $434. The current lowest deal is $161 with Frontier Airlines, for travel from Aug 17-Aug 24.

now $161

Low $318

High $434

The cheapest time to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

The cheapest month to fly from Washington to San Diego is February, with a median price of $214. The most expensive month is November, with a median price of $483. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

February

Cheapest

Flights from $214

November

Most Expensive

Flights from $483

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Last-minute flights going from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Thu, Jul 2

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$472

$269

One-way

Thu, Jul 2

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$518

$269

One-way

Thu, Jul 2

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$509

$319

One-way

Thu, Jul 2

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$518

$351

One-way

Sat, Jul 4

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$534

$270

One-way

Sat, Jul 4

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - San Diego (SAN)

Frontier Airlines

$534

$304

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

8 nights

Jul 20 - Jul 28

$473 → $161

66%

7 nights

Jul 14 - Jul 21

$492 → $193

61%

23 nights

Jul 20 - Aug 12

$445 → $161

64%

6 nights

Jul 15 - Jul 21

$492 → $215

56%

Popular Airports to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego

Washington, D.C. - San Diego route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are below the typical level

Recent fares from Washington, D.C. to San Diego are below the typical level at $161.

📅 Best time to fly

February is historically cheapest at $214

Historically, February is the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, at $214.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typically 12h 55m with connections

Flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego typically take 12h 55m, with 33.1% being direct.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights are dominant on this route, with 2 median stopovers when connecting.

🏆 Airline highlight

Alaska Airlines, Inc. offers direct flights

Alaska Airlines, Inc. offers direct flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego.

🎯 Booking tip

Frequent deals on this route

Deals on flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego are frequent, with 1.03 deals per day.

Washington, D.C. main airports to depart from

Washington Dulles International (IAD)

Cheapest

Washington Dulles International offers flights to San Diego, often with competitive pricing for your journey.

📍 ~40 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or bus)

💸 Flights from ~$161

Baltimore–Washington International (BWI)

Baltimore–Washington International provides another option for flights from the Washington, D.C. area to San Diego.

📍 ~50 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$264

Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)

Ronald Reagan Washington National is a convenient choice for flights to San Diego from the Washington, D.C. area.

📍 ~5 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or metro)

💸 Flights from ~$254

San Diego main airports to arrive at

San Diego International (SAN)

Cheapest

San Diego International is a convenient arrival airport for your trip to San Diego, California.

📍 ~5 km from San Diego city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$161

McClellan–Palomar (CLD)

McClellan–Palomar is an alternative arrival airport for your trip to the San Diego area.

📍 ~50 km from San Diego city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$393

Airports nearby San Diego used as alternative

Tijuana International (TIJ)

Tijuana International (TIJ) is an excellent alternative for Mexico flights, with direct access via the Cross Border Xpress.

📍 ~25 km from San Diego (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$417

John Wayne (SNA)

John Wayne (SNA) is a close major US domestic alternative, often less congested than LAX.

📍 ~135 km from San Diego (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$179

Los Angeles International (LAX)

Cheapest

Los Angeles International (LAX) offers the most extensive international and domestic route options.

📍 ~190 km from San Diego (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$160

Ontario International (ONT)

Ontario International (ONT) is a reliable domestic alternative with growing service, often less congested.

📍 ~180 km from San Diego (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$161

Long Beach (LGB)

Long Beach (LGB) is easy to navigate with fast security, good for specific West Coast routes.

📍 ~160 km from San Diego (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$189

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Diego

73% AI deal score

$1,697

From IAD

Elite

Jun 19

San Diego, United States

73% AI deal score

$1,761

$1,757

Save $4

From IAD

Elite

Oct 24

San Diego, United States

73% AI deal score

$1,381

$1,342

Save $39

From IAD

Elite

Oct 22

San Diego, United States

66% AI deal score

$1,928

From IAD

Elite

Oct 18

San Diego, United States

66% AI deal score

$1,928

From IAD

Elite

Oct 21

San Diego, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,003

From IAD

Elite

Oct 21

San Diego, United States

48% AI deal score

$2,308

From IAD

Elite

Oct 21

San Diego, United States

48% AI deal score

$2,829

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Diego

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is typically between 28 and 59 days before departure. During this period, the average price was $381. Prices tend to be significantly higher for last-minute bookings, with flights purchased 0-6 days out averaging $979. Even booking more than 60 days in advance saw a higher average price of $523, indicating that planning within the 28-59 day window is generally most cost-effective.

Across the trailing quarter, a flight from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is considered a good deal if it is priced at or below $308. The median price for this route was $371, while prices at the 75th percentile reached $505. By aiming for prices at or below the $308 threshold, travelers can secure a fare that is better than the majority of prices observed over the last 90 days.

Historically, February has been the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, with a median price of $214. January also offered competitive fares, with a median price of $228. In contrast, May was observed to be the most expensive month, with a median price of $317, which is still lower than the annual median price of $371 for this route.

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