What percentage of Sacramento to Washington, D.C. flights are direct?

In the trailing 90 days, direct flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. have historically represented a small portion of available options, accounting for 4.5% of all flights. When a direct flight is not available, connecting flights typically involve a median of 2 stopovers. This indicates that most travelers on this route will likely have at least one layover.

How long does it take to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.?

A direct flight from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. typically takes 5 hours and 6 minutes. For flights with one stop, the median travel time increases to 8 hours and 2 minutes. This difference in duration highlights the convenience of direct routes. The total distance covered on this route is approximately 3785 kilometers.

Are non-stop flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. worth the extra cost?

Historically, direct flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. have been about 18% more expensive than connecting flights. The median price for a direct flight was $394, while connecting flights had a median price of $333. Direct flights represent a smaller share of options, making up 5.4% of all flights. Travelers should consider if the time saved on a direct flight justifies the typically higher cost.

Flights From Sacramento

To Washington, D.C.

Cheap Flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

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Deals from

Sacramento

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Washington, D.C.

Prices updated 7 days ago

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Sep 7, 2026.)

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

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

2026-11-12 – 2026-11-18
SAC - Washington, D.C.
91% AI deal score
$349
$215
Round trip
2026-09-22 – 2026-09-26
SAC - Washington, D.C.
88% AI deal score
$324
$234
Round trip
2026-10-23 – 2026-10-30
SAC - Washington, D.C.
87% AI deal score
$313
$234
Round trip
2026-10-14 – 2026-10-21
SAC - Washington, D.C.
87% AI deal score
$311
$234
Round trip
2026-10-23 – 2026-10-27
SAC - Washington, D.C.
88% AI deal score
$329
$234
Round trip
2026-10-22 – 2026-10-27
SAC - Washington, D.C.
88% AI deal score
$323
$234
Round trip
2026-09-25 – 2026-09-29
SAC - Washington, D.C.
78% AI deal score
$322
$261
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-16
SAC - Washington, D.C.
86% AI deal score
$448
$267
Round trip
2026-09-19 – 2026-09-26
SAC - Washington, D.C.
84% AI deal score
$400
$267
Round trip
2026-10-07 – 2026-10-10
SAC - Washington, D.C.
83% AI deal score
$382
$267
Round trip

Sacramento to Washington, D.C.: Overview

Insights for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

Most itineraries for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. connect at least once, with only 4.5% of recent fares being non-stop. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of stopovers is 2. This means travelers should expect a journey involving at least one layover when planning their trip.

A typical journey from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. takes about 16h 23m, including connections. This duration reflects the common need for stopovers on this route, as direct flights are infrequent. Travelers should factor in this extended travel time when making their plans.

For those looking for cheap flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., the cheapest months to fly are January with a median fare of $165, February at $190, and March with a median of $219. These months offer significantly lower prices compared to the overall median for the route, presenting good opportunities for savings.

Fares for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. typically range from $329–$627, with a median of $409. Right now, fares are above the typical level, but 19% of recent fares were classified as a good price. New deals appear almost daily, suggesting that opportunities for better prices can emerge frequently.

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

Regular price: $281 - $547

Prices for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is between $281 and $547. The current lowest deal is $265 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Oct 14-Oct 21.

now $265

Low $281

High $547

The cheapest time to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

The cheapest month to fly from Sacramento to Washington is January, with a median price of $165. The most expensive month is October, with a median price of $519. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

January

Cheapest

Flights from $165

October

Most Expensive

Flights from $519

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

United Airlines

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

Sat, Sep 5

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$356

$464

One-way

Fri, Sep 11

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$379

$399

One-way

Fri, Sep 11

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$326

$459

One-way

Sat, Sep 12

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$373

$399

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$351

$399

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$351

$399

One-way

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

1 night

Sep 15 - Sep 16

$673 → $478

29%

4 nights

Sep 17 - Sep 21

$637 → $448

30%

2 nights

Sep 18 - Sep 20

$649 → $475

27%

5 nights

Sep 18 - Sep 23

$575 → $409

29%

Popular Airports to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

Sacramento - Washington, D.C. route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Sacramento to Washington, D.C. are above the typical level at $409.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in January for the best prices

Historically, January offers the lowest median price at $165 for Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

⏱️ Flight duration

Expect a flight duration of 16h 23m

The typical flight duration for Sacramento to Washington, D.C. is 16h 23m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal

A recent deal from Frontier Airlines is available for $265, departing October 14.

🏆 Airline highlight

United Airlines has direct flights

United Airlines offers direct flights on this route, with 1 direct deal found recently.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals are frequent on this route

Deals for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. are frequent, appearing often.

Sacramento main airports to depart from

Sacramento International (SMF)

Cheapest

Sacramento International Airport offers convenient flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

📍 ~15 km from city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$216

Washington, D.C. main airports to arrive at

Baltimore–Washington International (BWI)

Cheapest

Baltimore–Washington International Airport is a good option for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

📍 ~44 km from Washington, D.C. city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$319

Airports nearby Washington, D.C. used as alternative

Philadelphia International (PHL)

Cheapest

Philadelphia International offers an extensive route network and carrier competition, often resulting in lower fares.

📍 ~225 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or Amtrak)

💸 Flights from ~$264

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Washington, D.C.

75% AI deal score

$2,334

$1,801

Save $533

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Washington, D.C.

Historically, the lowest average prices for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. have been found when booking within 0-6 days of departure, with an average price of $318. Booking 7-13 days out typically sees an average price of $342. Prices tend to increase significantly for bookings made further in advance, such as 28-59 days out, where the average price rises to $687. Planning your trip closer to the departure date, within a week, generally offers more favorable pricing.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. is considered to be around $329 or less. The median price for this route over the same period was $409. Prices can vary, with 75% of fares historically costing $627 or less. Travelers aiming for a budget-friendly trip should target prices at or below the $329 threshold.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. include January, with a median price of $165, and February, with a median price of $190. March also offers relatively lower prices, with a median of $219. These months tend to be significantly more affordable compared to the annual median price for this route, which stands at $409. Travelers seeking the lowest fares should consider planning their trips during these periods.

Related routes

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Flights to Washington, D.C. from other cities

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Sacramento to Washington, D.C.: Overview

Insights for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

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

Regular price: $281 - $547

Prices for flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is between $281 and $547. The current lowest deal is $265 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Oct 14-Oct 21.

now $265

Low $281

High $547

The cheapest time to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

January

Cheapest

Flights from $165

October

Most Expensive

Flights from $519

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.

United Airlines

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

Sat, Sep 5

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$356

$464

One-way

Fri, Sep 11

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$379

$399

One-way

Fri, Sep 11

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$326

$459

One-way

Sat, Sep 12

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$373

$399

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$351

$399

One-way

Mon, Sep 14

⌛ Last-Minute

SMF - Washington, D.C.

Sacramento (SMF) - Washington, D.C. (IAD)

$351

$399

One-way

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

1 night

Sep 15 - Sep 16

$673 → $478

29%

4 nights

Sep 17 - Sep 21

$637 → $448

30%

2 nights

Sep 18 - Sep 20

$649 → $475

27%

5 nights

Sep 18 - Sep 23

$575 → $409

29%

Popular Airports to fly from Sacramento to Washington, D.C.