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

Across the trailing quarter, approximately 25.1% of flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego are direct. For travelers who prefer not to have layovers, this means about one in four flights typically offers a non-stop option. When connecting flights are taken, the median number of stopovers observed is 2, indicating that direct flights are less common on this route.

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

The typical direct flight from Washington, D.C. to San Diego has a median duration of 5 hours and 40 minutes. This route covers a distance of 3618 kilometers. For flights with one stop, the median travel time is considerably longer, averaging 8 hours and 11 minutes. Travelers should factor in these duration differences when planning their journey.

How often do Washington, D.C. to San Diego flight prices drop?

Historically, flight prices for the Washington, D.C. to San Diego route are classified as experiencing frequent price drops. This suggests that travelers may often find opportunities for reduced fares. Based on observations across the trailing 30 days, this route consistently shows price fluctuations that can benefit flexible travelers.

Flights From Washington, D.C.

To San Diego

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

Browse current best options from Washington, D.C.. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

Washington, D.C.

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

Prices updated 2 days ago

405 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

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

2026-08-27 – 2026-08-31
WAS - San Diego
88% AI deal score
$435
$157
Round trip
2026-08-24 – 2026-08-31
WAS - San Diego
87% AI deal score
$410
$157
Round trip
2026-09-01 – 2026-09-16
WAS - San Diego
89% AI deal score
$239
$166
Round trip
2026-09-08 – 2026-09-16
WAS - San Diego
90% AI deal score
$257
$166
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-22
WAS - San Diego
91% AI deal score
$272
$166
Round trip
2026-09-22 – 2026-09-30
WAS - San Diego
91% AI deal score
$263
$166
Round trip
2026-09-15 – 2026-09-23
WAS - San Diego
91% AI deal score
$261
$166
Round trip
2026-09-17 – 2026-09-21
WAS - San Diego
91% AI deal score
$283
$166
Round trip
2026-10-20 – 2026-10-28
WAS - San Diego
92% AI deal score
$289
$166
Round trip
2026-10-06 – 2026-10-14
WAS - San Diego
91% AI deal score
$279
$166
Round trip

Washington, D.C. to San Diego: Overview

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 due to most itineraries connecting at least once, with the median number of stopovers for connecting flights being 2. Only 25.1% of recent fares are for direct flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, meaning you will likely have a layover.

For travelers seeking cheap flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, prices typically range from $327–$555, with a median of $402. Right now, current fares are above the typical level. Only 2% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that finding significantly lower prices can be challenging.

The cheapest months to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego are February, with a median fare of $214, and January, with a median fare of $228. May also offers more favorable pricing, with a median fare of $317. New deals appear almost daily for this route, so setting up a price alert could be beneficial.

The distance between Washington, D.C. and San Diego is approximately 3618 kilometers, classifying this as a medium-haul route. This distance contributes to the longer journey times, especially when factoring in the typical connections.

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

Regular price: $321 - $425

Prices are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is $321 to $425. The current lowest deal is $159 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Aug 24-Aug 31.

now $159

Low $321

High $425

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

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$387

$166

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$373

$173

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$421

$205

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$451

$214

One-way

Wed, Aug 19

⌛ Last-Minute

BWI - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$416

$201

One-way

Thu, Aug 20

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$418

$167

One-way

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

4 nights

Aug 27 - Aug 31

$444 → $161

64%

7 nights

Aug 24 - Aug 31

$418 → $159

62%

7 nights

Aug 20 - Aug 27

$418 → $167

60%

6 nights

Aug 25 - Aug 31

$419 → $172

59%

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

Washington, D.C. - San Diego route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares for Washington, D.C. to San Diego are above the typical level at $402.

📅 Best time to fly

February is historically the cheapest month to fly

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

⏱️ Flight duration

Typical flight duration is 12h 55m

Flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego typically take 12h 55m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant for this route

Connecting flights make up 74.9% of recent deals, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines offers a recent deal at $159

A recent deal on Frontier Airlines from Washington Dulles International to San Diego International was $159.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently on this route

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

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

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

Airports nearby San Diego used as alternative

Tijuana International (TIJ)

Tijuana International (TIJ) is a convenient alternative for Mexico-bound travelers, with direct access via CBX.

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

💸 Flights from ~$405

Business & First Class Flight Deals to San Diego

91% AI deal score

$2,526

$1,157

Save $1,369

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to San Diego

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is typically 28-59 days before departure. During this period, the average price observed was $381. Prices tend to be significantly higher for last-minute bookings, with flights purchased 0-6 days out averaging $979. Even 14-27 days before departure, the average price was around $385, indicating that booking within the recommended window offers the best value across the trailing 90 days.

A flight from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is generally considered a good deal if it is priced at or below $327. This threshold represents the 25th percentile of prices observed across the trailing 90 days, meaning that 25% of all fares were at or below this price. The median price for this route historically stands at $402, while prices at the 75th percentile reached $555.

Historically, the cheapest months to fly from Washington, D.C. to San Diego are February and January, with median prices of $214 and $228 respectively. May also shows a relatively low median price of $317. These prices are notably lower than the annual median price for this route, which is $402. Travelers looking for more affordable options should consider these months based on data from the trailing 270 days.

Related routes

More routes from Washington, D.C.

Flights from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City Flights from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco Flights from Washington, D.C. to San Juan Flights from Washington, D.C. to Seattle Flights from Washington, D.C. to Seoul Flights from Washington, D.C. to Shanghai Flights from Washington, D.C. to Tampa Flights from Washington, D.C. to Tel Aviv Flights from Washington, D.C. to Tokyo Flights from Washington, D.C. to Toronto Flights from Washington, D.C. to Venice Flights from Washington, D.C. to Vienna

Flights to San Diego from other cities

Flights from Adelaide to San Diego Flights from Albuquerque to San Diego Flights from Atlanta to San Diego Flights from Austin to San Diego Flights from Boise to San Diego Flights from Boston to San Diego Flights from Chicago to San Diego Flights from Colorado Springs to San Diego Flights from Nashville to San Diego Flights from Toronto to San Diego Flights from Vancouver to San Diego Flights from Zürich to San Diego

Washington, D.C. to San Diego: Overview

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

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

Regular price: $321 - $425

Prices are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Diego is $321 to $425. The current lowest deal is $159 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Aug 24-Aug 31.

now $159

Low $321

High $425

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

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

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$387

$166

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$373

$173

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$421

$205

One-way

Mon, Aug 17

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$451

$214

One-way

Wed, Aug 19

⌛ Last-Minute

BWI - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$416

$201

One-way

Thu, Aug 20

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - San Diego

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

Frontier Airlines

$418

$167

One-way

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

4 nights

Aug 27 - Aug 31

$444 → $161

64%

7 nights

Aug 24 - Aug 31

$418 → $159

62%

7 nights

Aug 20 - Aug 27

$418 → $167

60%

6 nights

Aug 25 - Aug 31

$419 → $172

59%

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