CMH - SAN

$87 Find Cheap Flights from Columbus to San Diego

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Columbus to San Diego departing on 10/14. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Columbus to San Diego, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Columbus to San Diego, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flights from Columbus to San Diego (CMH-SAN)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Columbus to San Diego that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Columbus to San Diego

Wed, Oct 1 - Thu, Oct 2
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:53 pm - 11:34 pmCMH-SAN
13h 41m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:25 am - 10:45 pmSAN-CMH
11h 20m1 stop
$153Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 1 - Thu, Oct 2
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:53 pm - 11:34 pmCMH-SAN
13h 41m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 10:45 pmSAN-CMH
13h 30m1 stop
$168Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 22 - Wed, Oct 29
Southwest Logo
5:35 pm - 9:35 pmCMH-SAN
7h 00m1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:35 am - 4:50 pmSAN-CMH
7h 15m1 stop
$174Southwest
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 22 - Wed, Oct 29
Southwest Logo
1:05 pm - 6:55 pmCMH-SAN
8h 50m2 stops
Southwest Logo
2:05 pm - 12:10 amSAN-CMH
7h 05m1 stop
$179Southwest
Find Deal
Sat, Oct 18 - Mon, Oct 27
 Logo
1:04 pm - 8:51 pmCMH-SAN
10h 47m1 stop
 Logo
6:25 am - 10:34 pmSAN-CMH
13h 09m1 stop
Mon, Oct 6 - Thu, Oct 9
Frontier Logo
8:34 pm - 11:53 pmCMH-SAN
6h 19m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:41 am - 6:09 pmSAN-CMH
8h 28m1 stop
$205Frontier
Find Deal
Thu, Nov 6 - Sun, Nov 9
 Logo
4:49 pm - 12:35 pmCMH-SAN
22h 46m1 stop
 Logo
3:59 pm - 3:25 pmSAN-CMH
20h 26m1 stop
Fri, Oct 3 - Mon, Oct 6
Frontier Logo
8:34 pm - 11:53 pmCMH-SAN
6h 19m1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:20 am - 7:39 pmSAN-CMH
6h 19m1 stop
$217Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, Oct 4 - Tue, Oct 7
American Airlines Logo
6:50 am - 2:03 pmCMH-SAN
10h 13m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:16 am - 8:03 pmSAN-CMH
10h 47m1 stop
$255American Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Nov 7 - Wed, Nov 12
American Airlines Logo
12:50 pm - 7:43 pmCMH-SAN
9h 53m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:19 am - 8:21 pmSAN-CMH
11h 02m1 stop
$266American Airlines
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Spirit Airlines
Cheapest • from $153 (round-trip)
Southwest
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 33% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
January
Cheapest • 28% price drop
January
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest round-trip
$153
Overall average: $366
Spirit Airlines
Wed 10/1Thu 10/2
CMH - SAN • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$275
Southwest
Sat 10/4Sat 10/11
CMH - SAN • Non-stop
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KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to San Diego!
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Columbus to San Diego flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Columbus to San Diego to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Columbus to San Diego?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Columbus Airport to San Diego clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to San Diego on a Thursday and more expensive on a Saturday. On your return trip to Columbus, you should consider flying back on a Tuesday, and avoid Saturdays for better deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Columbus Airport to San Diego?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Columbus Airport to San Diego, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Columbus Airport to San Diego is January, where tickets cost $316 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $506 and $504 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Columbus Airport to San Diego?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Columbus Airport to San Diego, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Columbus Airport to San Diego, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 33% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonApril
Cheapest flight$87
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 10% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 28% lower on average.
Flight from Columbus to San Diego

When to book flights from Columbus to San Diego

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Columbus to San Diego based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking Columbus to San Diego flights

  • How can I get to San Diego from San Diego International Airport?

    San Diego is only a few miles from the airport and is accessible through myriad transit options. You can leave the arrival airport using taxis, shuttles, and buses. Consider taking a taxi if you have luggage or are traveling with family because it is more convenient and efficient.

  • What accessible services are available at San Diego International Airport?

    The airport has been designed to accommodate passengers with disabilities. Their facilities and services have been modified to be more accessible. You can request wheelchair assistance, but we recommend contacting your airline in advance. Further accommodations can be made upon request.

  • What facilities are parent-friendly at Columbus International Airport?

    John Glenn Columbus International Airport has private nursing rooms in all concourses that all mothers can access. The rooms provide private and comfortable spaces for breastfeeding mothers. All the rooms are fitted with power outlets for breast pumps.

  • Does John Glenn Columbus International Airport have lounges?

    Lounges are a great place to unwind and relax as you wait to board your flight. The departure airport has a few of them offering elegant amenities and facilities to enhance your travel, such as the Escape Lounges and Jake Brewer USO Lounge.

  • How many flights are there between Columbus Airport and San Diego per day?

    There is a maximum of 1 nonstop flight a day that takes off from Columbus Airport and lands in San Diego, with an average flight time of 4h 43m. The most common departure time is 4:00 pm and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 5 flights.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Columbus Airport to San Diego?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Columbus Airport to San Diego was $87 for a one-way ticket and $153 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Columbus and San Diego?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Columbus to San Diego?

    Columbus airport is called Columbus and the only airport in San Diego is San Diego.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Columbus to San Diego?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Columbus to San Diego flight route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Columbus to San Diego?

    You can catch a nonstop flight from Columbus to San Diego on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Columbus to San Diego, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Columbus to San Diego are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $480 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $461 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Columbus to San Diego?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Columbus to San Diego.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Columbus to San Diego?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Diego from Columbus is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Columbus to San Diego?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San Diego with an airline and back to Columbus with another airline. Booking your flights between Columbus and SAN can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Columbus to San Diego?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San Diego from Columbus up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Columbus Airport to San Diego

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $310 or less round-trip.
  • Columbus is served by John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), situated about 6 miles from downtown Columbus. You can easily get to the airport using several transit options, including taxis, rideshare, and public transportation. The COTA bus line is efficient and affordable. However, if you want comfort and convenience, we recommend opting for a taxi.
  • CMH provides various parking options, including Valet parking, to enhance your travel experience. Some shuttles link the garages to the terminals departing for the terminals every 15min. You can park your car at John Glenn Columbus International Airport for short or long-term, depending on your travel needs.
  • Flights from Columbus will be arriving at San Diego International Airport (SAN). The airport is about 3 miles from downtown San Diego. Upon arrival, take some time to explore the vast collection of permanent artworks that supports the Airport Authority's mission. Before you leave the airport, treat yourself to a beautiful and elegant exhibition dedicated to enhancing the travel experience for passengers.
  • You can find several accommodation options near San Diego International Airport, whether traveling for leisure or business. The airport has access to hotels that provide elegant amenities and a relaxing on-site and off-site environment. Stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites San Diego Airport Liberty Station, which is 0.8 miles from SAN, or the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, which is 0.4 miles from the airport.
  • There are no direct flights operating from Columbus and San Diego. However, several airlines are providing connecting flights with at least one layover. The most common layover occurs at Harry Reid International Airport and O'Hare International Airport. Connecting flights are much cheaper compared to direct flights and are recommended if you do not mind a few more hours to your trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Columbus to San Diego?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Columbus to San Diego.
Find which airlines fly direct from Columbus Airport to San Diego Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Columbus to San Diego

Monday

Southwest

Southwest

Tuesday

Southwest

Southwest

Wednesday

Southwest

Southwest

Thursday

Southwest

Southwest

Friday

Southwest

Southwest

Saturday

Southwest

Southwest

Sunday

Southwest

Southwest

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Diego to Columbus

Monday

Southwest

Southwest

Tuesday

Southwest

Southwest

Wednesday

Southwest

Southwest

Thursday

Southwest

Southwest

Friday

Southwest

Southwest

Saturday

Southwest

Southwest

Sunday

Southwest

Southwest

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Columbus to San Diego

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Columbus to San Diego. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Columbus to San Diego? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4248 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Very smooth checking in our luggage with a super pleasant SW agent. I enjoyed a fun entertaining movie.

10.0 ExcellentGordon, Jul 2025GEG - OAK
Read more Southwest reviews

Very smooth checking in our luggage with a super pleasant SW agent. I enjoyed a fun entertaining movie.

Sat on tarmac for 2 hours and then missed my connecting flight

First time traveling on Southwest since bag fees were implemented. Usual good service. Just more expensive now.

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

Boarding process, crew were good. But the seats were so uncomfortable that was all I could focus on. I literally had to sit forward so that all 3 of us could fit in row. I will try to avoid Southwest in the future for any flights over 60 minutes.

Great flight, 47 passengers on a 180 seat plane. Stewardess was pleasant and cheerful.

Great experience flying Southwest. The crew was really kind and helpful, and very friendly with our toddler.

Plane late from DC to Austin 30 minutes. Crew made up much of the time enroute to San Diego.

Wi Fi was horrible kept cutting out the whole time and too expensive

Fine, but how to board on SW versus othrr airlines, is just lame. Goood staff though and all was solid otherwise.

I was uncomfortably cold on the plane. Other than that it was uneventful and therefore as enjoyable as a plane ride can be.

Food was surprisingly good but the WiFi was not great

My flight was extremely cold. I had a jacket and a cover was left in each seat. The cover was extremely thin and I have a disability, fibromyalgia and arthrithis and AC air is the worst. I closed my vent and my husbands vent and it still was frigid. I asked the attendant if I could get another cover and she quickly almost dismissively and totally unconcerned stating, (I quote) (one per chair) and walked off so quickly that I didn't get a chance to explain to her that I literally have adisability. I didnt want to make a seen so I set on that flight for over 5 hours in pain, joints locking up and extremely uncomfortable. When my fibromyalgia flares up my joints not only ache but they will lock up also and it takes me days to get back to my regular self even though I take medication for it. I felt like it would not have hurt anyone at all for her to just give me an extra cover because I'm sure they have all types of medical issues in people that fly every day.

Not a "Delta" issue, but a JFK issue: We booked a connecting flight with 3 1/2 hours between to clearn immigration and customs. Our inbound flight (BCN to JFK) was on the taxiway 45 minutes which ate into our layover time. Immigtration was insanely quick with the CBP MPC app; however, clearing TSA (again, after we were ALREADY cleared in Spain on the inbound international flight) took over 95 minutes. This left us with 10 minutes before boarding the connecting flight (JFK to SAN) to walk to the far end of Terminal 4 and try to find food. We didn't find any food that could promise to serve us in under 10 minutes so we boarded the Delta flight after coming off a plance and an 8-hour flight knowing that we wouldn't be served any food on the next 5 1/2 hour flight. I feel like Delta needs to put pressure on the JFK TSA to open more screening stations (by our count, we saw only 5 scanners open and a line of - as we said - over 90 minutes. The insult is that we WERE ALREADY SCREENED through TSA, but as you come off one flight into the USA, you have to go through the whole process again. It seems like if you have a connecting flight, there should be a way to pass through immigration and customs without needing to return through TSA.

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

I like for how they process during check in. It was very smoothly.

5 hours of delay that could've been much shorter if Delta had taken the 1 hour delay they imposed on the flight before boarding to run any of the plane checks required for flight to find the hydraulic issue that required nearly 3 hours to fix. $24 of meal credit buys a sandwich and a soft drink. Poor communication within the terminal about what gate we'd be re-boarding from and when we'd be re-boarding.

The entertainment and wifi mostly didn't work on this flight.

Terrible entertainment system - kept freezing and audio kept cutting out. Snacks were mediocre at best for a 5 hour flight.

I am still upset that my bag was lost on a recent trip to Rome ; we were inconvenienced and out €150 Euros ; delta has refused to reimburse us

IAD with the archaic people movers is just a place to be avoided.

The flight was comfortable with the exit row and great service

Plane was crowded and even when we hit altitude, the plane was hot, not enough air flow.

1. when we went to check in, our 2 first class seats had been CANCELED and the flight was sold out. This was done without our prior knowledge. It was all we could do to restore one first class seat for my wife and I flew economy. 2, Our flight home was scheduled to leave at 10:30 pm. Due to tsunami warnings, the roads were closed and our flight status was uncertain as to whether it would leave as scheduled. It was announced that it would now leave at 11:20 pm and the roads were now open since the tsunami had come and gone. We made a mad dash to the airport and checked in. Delays were announced at 12:30 pm, 1:30 am, 2:30 am and at 3:30 am it was canceled. Since this was a flight due to natural (tsunami) causes, there was no compensation. We were told to return at 1:00 pm the next day and our baggage would be kept on the plane since the same plane was going to leave at 1:00 pm. We had to return to our hotel for the rest of the night. The same plane did not leave at 1:00 pm and our baggage was gone! All in all, it was a miserable performance by UA. Information was hard to obtain and no one knew what was going on and what was going to happen. Hundreds of passengers slept on the floor, chairs, etc. No food and no water was made available to the passengers. It was a situation where UA could care less what was going on. As a one million mile flyer, I had not experienced anything like this before and it was hugely disappointing!

Boarded plane and then delayed 1.5 hours while on the plane

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

My flight was delayed a very short period of time but they did not hold my connecting flight to San Diego, also through United. So they closed the doors before we got off our plane. They would only have to help the door open for another five to ten minutes. So I missed a court deadline for a manditory mediation settlement conference for my client. I had to get an associate to be there in person and be on the phone with him relaying what he needs to do the entire time. The court was very upset with me and so was my client. United cannot be trusted.

We were given vouchers we couldn’t use with a 5.5 hour delay

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

Great. Quick and quiet and east. The breakfast choices were a welcome surprise!

The stewardess hit me with the food kart twice on the head and didn't say I'm sorry once. The same stewardess gave me a warm Apple Juice with No ice. The Flight was delayed for Departure 6 times, starting from 2:36pm, finally taking off 7:50pm. I was late picking up my child from the sitter by 3 hours.

Did not get the seat I selected and paid for.

My flight was delayed for several hours. Sitting at gate 16 for several hours, I got a text from Kayak the gate changed to 9 before it was announced. Very bad communication at each gate from American Airlines employees. I received 10 notifications of delay from Kayak. My vacation started off horrible! I will write to American Airlines corporate office also.

Delayed flight that lead to a missed connection and a 5-hour trip became a 12-hour flight 🙄

Any flight to ORD after about 2pm this summer has been challenging. Flight was delayed getting in (coming from ORD) and that led to it not leaving before a ground stop due to lightening before they could fuel the plane, and so forth. They made up some time but we were still late in arriving at ORD, and that led to missed connections.

There is no room, no gluten free options, or any free internet/entertainment. You have to bring your own tablet or smartphone because there are no screens.

Couldn’t get the door on the plane to close leading to a nearly 2 hour delay. But, hey at least they didn’t cancel the flight.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

Boarding gate in Honolulu was staffed with a great clerk with a soothing voice despite the flight delay of over an hour. Flight attendants in the plane were all grumpy, not pleasant looking bunch. Their sour attitude showed throughout the flight. Inly able to get a select few movies started. Most of the movie links in the “free entertainment” did not work.

Cancelled my flight last minute and did not help me rebook. It was a horrible experience.

Late departure by 1:45min. No explanation why. During boarding inconsistent policing of their baggage rules. Before takeoff and lamdimg strange obsession with window shade and armrest positions. Don't know why they care. 15 min tarmac delay on arrival, they blamed airport congestion but we were the o lh flight waiting, it was clear it was due to poor staff planning (only one ground crew to receive airplanes and multiple arrivals) Got there but was rrally lame the whole trip.

Crew from Columbus to Atlanta excellent. Flight overall was good. Flight crew from Atlanta to Newark were average probably because they had to deal with overbooked flight and obnoxious people on the flight. Ground crew in terminal needed to do a better job limiting luggage boarding the plane.

Boarding was a breeze, however, two of the flights that I boarded with Spirit did not have Wi-Fi available.

Very good. Nothing more or less than expected. No complaints.

My experience with the spirit as a first time it was OK, but the seats need a little cushion, the problem I had the most impacted me was when checking in the scales were so off and wrong. It will tell that you would have more weight, which was not true. The scale was say that it had Thirty Eight Pounds, when get in the labels when we send the luggage into the band. It says that it was overweight. I really really dislike that because the scales are not accurate. If I use Spirit and I have that issue again. That will be my last time flying with the spirit, even though I like so much to service the planes, and everything else

hahaha we are delayed for one hour plus.. but thx we arrived San Diego safe

Worst airline ever! The guy weighing my bag had his foot on the metal plate and when I called him out on it, I got this stupid little smirk. La is a scam and so is Spirit Airlines. All the flight attendants looked like they hated our flight just as much as we did.

Unclear pricing; ended up being charged an extra $52 just to get onboard

Spirit is awful. Too expensive for what you get. Stop nickel and diming.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Columbus to San Diego

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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