Can I fly direct from San Diego to Washington, D.C.?

Direct flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. are not common, historically accounting for only 3.6% of all observed flights. When a direct option is not available, connecting flights typically involve a median of 2 stopovers. Travelers should anticipate that most routes will include at least one stop.

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

A direct flight from San Diego to Washington, D.C. typically takes approximately 4 hours and 58 minutes, covering a distance of 3618 kilometers. Flights with one stop, however, have a significantly longer median duration, averaging around 9 hours and 33 minutes. Travelers should account for this difference when planning their journey.

Should I set a price alert for San Diego to Washington, D.C. flights?

Based on historical data, deals for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. are classified as frequent. This suggests that prices for this route tend to fluctuate, and good opportunities may arise regularly. Setting a price alert can help travelers monitor these changes and potentially secure a more favorable fare.

Flights From San Diego

To Washington, D.C.

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

Browse current best options from San Diego. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

San Diego

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

Prices updated 7 days ago

483 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Oct 26, 2026.)

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

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

2027-01-26 – 2027-02-01
SAN - Washington, D.C.
87% AI deal score
$270
$165
Round trip
2027-02-03 – 2027-03-01
SAN - Washington, D.C.
86% AI deal score
$270
$173
Round trip
2027-02-03 – 2027-02-08
SAN - Washington, D.C.
87% AI deal score
$298
$176
Round trip
2027-02-23 – 2027-03-01
SAN - Washington, D.C.
85% AI deal score
$275
$180
Round trip
2027-02-02 – 2027-03-01
SAN - Washington, D.C.
85% AI deal score
$269
$181
Round trip
2027-02-02 – 2027-03-01
SAN - Washington, D.C.
83% AI deal score
$253
$182
Round trip
2027-01-26 – 2027-02-02
SAN - Washington, D.C.
84% AI deal score
$271
$184
Round trip
2027-02-02 – 2027-02-08
SAN - Washington, D.C.
86% AI deal score
$294
$184
Round trip
2026-12-01 – 2026-12-15
SAN - Washington, D.C.
86% AI deal score
$314
$191
Round trip
2026-12-09 – 2026-12-16
SAN - Washington, D.C.
87% AI deal score
$358
$196
Round trip

San Diego to Washington, D.C.: Overview

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

For travelers planning cheap flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C., the cheapest month to fly is July, with a median fare of $282. Other cost-effective options include January and February, both with median fares of $317. These months offer the most favorable pricing for this route.

Fares for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. typically range from $396–$732, with a median of $516. Right now, current fares are above the typical level for this route. New deals appear almost daily, indicating frequent opportunities to find better prices.

Most itineraries for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. connect at least once, with only 3.6% of recent fares being non-stop. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of connections is 2, meaning you will likely have multiple stops on your journey.

A typical journey from San Diego to Washington, D.C. takes approximately 4h 58m, including connections. This duration accounts for the fact that most itineraries involve at least one stop. For connecting flights specifically, the median journey time is significantly longer at 17h 3m.

The distance between San Diego and Washington, D.C. is 3618 kilometers. This classifies the route as a medium-haul flight, indicating a substantial distance that typically involves several hours of travel.

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

Regular price: $238 - $471

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

The regular price range for this route is typically between $238 and $471. The current lowest deal is $176 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Feb 4-Feb 8.

now $176

Low $238

High $471

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

The cheapest month to fly from San Diego to Washington is July, with a median price of $282. The most expensive month is May, with a median price of $607. Generally, prices are lower from January to December.

July

Cheapest

Flights from $282

May

Most Expensive

Flights from $607

Jan

Feb

May

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

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

Tue, Oct 27

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$554

$562

One-way

Wed, Oct 28

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

American Airlines

$470

$468

One-way

Wed, Oct 28

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

$458

$1,074

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$292

$243

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$293

$243

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$293

$243

One-way

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

4 nights

Dec 10 - Dec 14

$417 → $233

44%

2 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 5

$421 → $247

41%

4 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 7

$418 → $245

41%

1 night

Dec 3 - Dec 4

$420 → $247

41%

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

San Diego - Washington, D.C. route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level.

Recent fares from San Diego to Washington, D.C. are above the typical level.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in July for prices around $282.

Historically, July is the cheapest month to fly from San Diego to Washington, D.C.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights take 4h 58m.

The typical direct flight from San Diego to Washington, D.C. takes 4h 58m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant.

About 3.6% of recent flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. are direct.

🏆 Airline highlight

Alaska Airlines, Inc. offers direct flights.

Alaska Airlines, Inc. has offered direct flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. recently.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently.

Deals for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. appear frequently.

San Diego main airports to depart from

San Diego International (SAN)

Cheapest

San Diego International Airport is a convenient departure point for flights to Washington, D.C.

📍 ~3 km from San Diego city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$192

McClellan–Palomar (CLD)

McClellan–Palomar Airport offers an alternative departure option for your trip to Washington, D.C.

📍 ~47 km from San Diego city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$529

Washington, D.C. main airports to arrive at

Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)

Cheapest

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a convenient arrival option for flights to Washington, D.C.

📍 ~6 km from Washington, D.C. city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$204

Airports nearby Washington, D.C. used as alternative

Philadelphia International (PHL)

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

📍 ~220 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or Amtrak)

💸 Flights from ~$239

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

$1,208

Save $481

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

Business Class

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

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. is typically between 28 and 59 days prior to departure. During this period, the average price observed was $610. Prices tend to be higher for last-minute bookings, with flights purchased 0-6 days out averaging around $1001. Conversely, booking more than 60 days in advance also shows a slightly higher average price of $652.

Across the trailing quarter, a good price for a flight from San Diego to Washington, D.C. is considered to be $396 or less. The median price for this route was $516, meaning half of all observed prices were above this amount. Prices historically reached up to $732 or more for the higher end of the market.

Historically, July, January, and February have offered some of the lowest median prices for flights from San Diego to Washington, D.C. July had a median price of $282, while January and February both showed a median of $317. The annual median price for this route is $516, indicating that these months typically offer significant savings compared to the yearly average.

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Flights to Washington, D.C. from other cities

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San Diego to Washington, D.C.: Overview

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

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

Regular price: $238 - $471

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

The regular price range for this route is typically between $238 and $471. The current lowest deal is $176 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Feb 4-Feb 8.

now $176

Low $238

High $471

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

July

Cheapest

Flights from $282

May

Most Expensive

Flights from $607

Jan

Feb

May

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

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

Tue, Oct 27

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$554

$562

One-way

Wed, Oct 28

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

American Airlines

$470

$468

One-way

Wed, Oct 28

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Alaska Airlines, Inc.

$458

$1,074

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$292

$243

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$293

$243

One-way

Tue, Nov 17

⌛ Last-Minute

SAN - Washington, D.C.

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

Frontier Airlines

$293

$243

One-way

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

4 nights

Dec 10 - Dec 14

$417 → $233

44%

2 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 5

$421 → $247

41%

4 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 7

$418 → $245

41%

1 night

Dec 3 - Dec 4

$420 → $247

41%

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