PHL - SAN

$80 Find Cheap Flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego departing on 4/18. 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, 0 bags

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 Philadelphia to San Diego.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Philadelphia to San Diego.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$366
Overall average: $414
Frontier
Sat 8/1Sat 8/8
PHL - SAN • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$391
Typical prices: $401-$557
American Airlines
Wed 4/22Tue 4/28
PHL - SAN • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
PHL's public transportation connects to downtown fast.
SAN's Route 992 bus offers quick access to downtown.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $366 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines. Average duration is 6h 01m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
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Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $253 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 7h 24m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 19% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 11% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Good to know
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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!
Flight Deals
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Philadelphia to San Diego (PHL-SAN)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego

Sat, Aug 1 - Sat, Aug 8
Frontier Logo
2:21 pm - 11:26 pm
PHL
-
SAN
12h 05m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:16 am - 5:37 am
SAN
-
PHL
15h 21m
1 stop
$366Frontier
Tue, Apr 14 - Thu, Apr 16
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 11:06 pm
PHL
-
SAN
20h 06m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
7:52 am - 12:21 am
SAN
-
PHL
13h 29m
1 stop
$367Frontier
Sat, May 16 - Sun, May 24
Frontier Logo
8:35 pm - 8:42 am
PHL
-
SAN
15h 07m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
1:38 pm - 9:10 am
SAN
-
PHL
16h 32m
2 stops
$368Frontier
Sat, May 9 - Sat, May 16
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 8:04 pm
PHL
-
SAN
17h 04m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:25 am - 5:37 am
SAN
-
PHL
20h 12m
1 stop
$369Multiple Airlines
Tue, May 26 - Sun, May 31
Frontier Logo
10:40 am - 9:12 pm
PHL
-
SAN
13h 32m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 10:14 pm
SAN
-
PHL
12h 49m
1 stop
$370Frontier
Thu, May 14 - Mon, May 18
Frontier Logo
8:35 pm - 8:42 am
PHL
-
SAN
15h 07m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
1:38 pm - 5:37 am
SAN
-
PHL
12h 59m
2 stops
$371Frontier
Fri, Apr 10 - Sat, Apr 18
Frontier Logo
11:58 am - 12:02 am
PHL
-
SAN
15h 04m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
11:42 am - 5:35 am
SAN
-
PHL
14h 53m
1 stop
$372Frontier
Thu, Apr 23 - Sun, Apr 26
Frontier Logo
8:41 pm - 8:34 am
PHL
-
SAN
14h 53m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:56 pm - 11:02 am
SAN
-
PHL
13h 06m
2 stops
$373Frontier
Thu, Apr 23 - Fri, May 1
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:41 pm - 8:34 am
PHL
-
SAN
14h 53m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:25 am - 9:57 pm
SAN
-
PHL
12h 32m
2 stops
$374Multiple Airlines
Sun, Apr 5 - Thu, Apr 9
Frontier Logo
9:38 pm - 4:25 pm
PHL
-
SAN
21h 47m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
8:47 am - 5:31 am
SAN
-
PHL
17h 44m
1 stop
$375Frontier
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego?

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

When flying from Philadelphia to San Diego, you should consider leaving on a Tuesday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Philadelphia, you’ll find the best rates on Wednesdays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Philadelphia to San Diego?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego is September, where tickets cost $382 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $498 and $490 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Philadelphia to San Diego?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 2 stops layover the cheapest option at $405 on average.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 19% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Philadelphia to San Diego

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz

Expert on SAN

Brandon Schultz is an award-winning food and travel writer based in New York City. His work has appeared in Forbes, AAA, Thrillist, Travel + Leisure, and The Daily Meal, among many others, and he is the author of 6 books, including 3 cookbooks.

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on PHL

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$80
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 4% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 4% lower on average.
Flight from Philadelphia to San Diego

When to book flights from Philadelphia to San Diego

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Philadelphia 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 flights from Philadelphia to San Diego

  • What types of flights are offered between Philadelphia and San Diego?

    To travel from Philadelphia to San Diego, it’s possible to find direct flights, with these trips often being serviced by American Airlines. There are many journeys that require travelers to make a connection as well, and this may occur in cities like Dallas or Phoenix. Connecting flights are often operated by Alaska Airlines or Delta.

  • How can I travel from downtown Philadelphia to Philadelphia International Airport?

    A popular way of traveling from downtown Philadelphia to Philadelphia International Airport is by driving, as it only takes between 15 and 20min in total. Public transportation is available for this trip as well, such as the Airport Line bus. If you take the local bus, expect the journey to last around 20 to 25min.

  • Does San Diego International Airport have its own rental car center?

    There is an off-site rental car facility near San Diego International Airport, which can be reached by a free shuttle bus. At this facility, you will find offices for a few different rental agencies, including Budget, Enterprise, and National. Each company keeps their fleet at the center.

  • What transportation options are available for going from San Diego International Airport to the city center?

    To go from San Diego International Airport to the city center as quickly as possible, it’s usually best to drive, as the journey will only take you around 10 to 15min as long as there is no additional traffic. There is also public transportation that can be used to go between these two locations, such as public bus line 992. If you choose to take the bus, you’ll arrive at the city center in around 20min.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Philadelphia to San Diego?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Philadelphia to San Diego was $80 for a one-way ticket and $366 for a round-trip.

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

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Philadelphia to San Diego. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

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

    Philadelphia and San Diego are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Philadelphia from Philadelphia and will be arriving at San Diego.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Philadelphia to San Diego?

    American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Philadelphia to San Diego flight route.

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

    The Airbus A321-100/200 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Philadelphia to San Diego flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Philadelphia to San Diego?

    Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between Philadelphia and San Diego, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

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

    There are nonstop flights from Philadelphia to San Diego on a daily basis.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Philadelphia to San Diego are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $469 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 $342 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Diego from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia with another airline. Booking your flights between Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia to San Diego

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $292 or less one-way and $427 or less round-trip.
  • Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is a major hub for both Frontier Airlines and American Airlines. Due to this, you will find many flights that depart from this airport are operated by one of these companies.
  • If you’ll be flying with a small child that is still nursing, keep your eyes open for one of the lactation rooms in San Diego International Airport (SAN). These rooms are located in Terminals 1 and 2 and contain comfortable seating, a highchair, a small washing station, and outlets.
  • Those that have an early flight departing from Philadelphia International Airport may be interested in staying at a hotel directly at the airport in order to maximize their sleeping time. Minute Suites can be found in Terminals A and B and rent rooms either per hour or overnight, while the Philadelphia Airport Marriott is in Terminal B.
  • Travelers that are hungry or thirsty once they have arrived at San Diego International Airport can choose from a few quick dining options in each terminal. Both Ryan Bro’s Coffee in Terminal 1 and Einstein Bros. Bagels in Terminal 2 are open 24h a day and have a variety of to-go options.
  • When traveling with a furry friend, you’ll want to make sure that you find one of the “Pet Ports” in Philadelphia International Airport. There is at least one of these areas in each terminal and they contain fake grass and trash cans for pet owners to take advantage of.

Prefer to fly direct from Philadelphia to San Diego?

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

Direct departures

Philadelphia to San Diego

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Diego to Philadelphia

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 4324 reviews
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

8.0 ExcellentNicole, Mar 2026
LGB - OAK
Read more Southwest reviews

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

No food or entertainment, just a quick 40 minute flight. A little bumpy due to Santa Ana winds but pilot has no control over that. Good flight and landing!

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

Mediocre. Boarding is now unpleasant. The employees, once friendly and nice, are now regularly speaking sternly to passengers, badgering them to do things right so they can take off on time and gate check bags because they don't have enough overhead bin space. The pretzel snack was crushed flat and broken into even smaller pieces, which happens frequently lately. Drink service was suspended before they reached my row.

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

Left a few minutes early. Got in 15 minutes early. Very attentive service on board. Very organized boarding.

There’s not much to say about a one hour flight. This is a connection from LA to RNO that I missed the previous night due to a mechanical check delay on my originating flight from JFK to LAX. The short flight itself was fine. Instructions from the pilot and crew were per usual. The coffee was barely lukewarm, which possibly was purposeful so we would down it quickly. Bags were already on carousel upon reaching baggage claim, which was excellent.

Delta continues to set the benchmark for traveler-friendly service with minimal disruption and clear communication within the mainland US (coast to coast). I am consistently pleased to be a Delta customer, and this experience once again met my expectations. There was a brief delay departing from MIA due to a technical issue that required the aircraft to return to the gate. However, the situation was handled professionally and transparently. Fortunately, my planned layover allowed ample buffer time, so the adjustment caused no stress. Overall, another smooth and reassuring experience.

Awesome! On time flight, early arrival, and a complimentary upgrade!

Was forced to check in my small carry on, even though I informed the crew it has very fragile items inside

They double booked seats, the gate staff changed my ticket as I was boarding she went over to the computer and changed it without telling me. She messed up an entire three row section for me and others. Other travelers were outraged but the gate staff were so rude, so condescending saying it wasn't their problem to solve. I would rate this a zero if I could. Will not fly Delta again I'll stick with United and American.

I usually get upgraded so my experience is usually amazing. I did not get upgraded this time - which was fine - but the wifi had issues, the monitors were going in & out, & (though not Delta's fault) one of the gentlemen next to me desperately needed a shower.

I really liked the legroom. I am 6’4”.a at For some reason our seats were not together and using the app to fix it didn’t work. Passengers were nice enough to move for us but you should absolutely ensure a parent sits with their child.

The gate attendants and the crew were terrible. Because of high winds, they needed to carry more fuel, so they had to get volunteers to take the next flight at 6 am the next day. They did a terrible job of it - our flight ended up taking off just under 3 hours of the scheduled time. I hope to never fly Delta again.

Staff were friendly and happy. Delta could make sure passengers that don't have the app know of changes. Without Kayak I would not have known about the change of gate or the delay. Kayak was faster to notify me.

Half of the TSA checkpoints at PHL are closed. Also, there is no standby for first class passengers. You can only standby for coach. Very dated policy and inconsistent with peers.

It would have been nice if American tried to care.

Delayed initially because they couldn’t print the flight details. Poor instruction on delay. When I got on the plane the flight attendant argued with me about whether my carry on would fit (it did, although she didn’t acknowledge that). No greeting (other than arguing with me) getting on or off the plane.

Beverage service was not good. Also just one service in 5 hr 30 min flight. No ask fir water ir anything beside one time beverage service.

They are always late and seats was also not having working charger

This flight captain and crew were amazing, started ahead of time of departure and reached 30 mins before arrival time. Amazing!

Long delays, lack of information about the status of the flight. The flight was delayed 4 times.

Everything about the flight was lovely. My only suggestion would be to offer a few more options of tv series from Apple TV or HBO.

We are too tired and frustrated to comment politely at this point

Delays to take off and to leave the plane after landing added a lot of time to this flight.

No WiFi, no outlets to charge phones, no complimentary beverages on a 6 hour flight

Flight was delayed more than 3 hours, and the metro had stopped running by the time we got to the terminal well past midnight, so I was stranded, alone, with no way to get home until the metro started up the next morning.

My flight was cancelled I missed time at work and got a parking ticket

Crew was very nice. Take off and landing were great. Economy seats are not comfortable. Extra cost for snacks.

The flight was delayed by 2 hours and we had no food or water or chargers

This was my best experience with spirit. I flew you guys 4 times and I must say this was the BEST

Horribly late because they had no crew!!! And then jet bridge didn’t work!! Then we arrived at a gate at lax miles away that we had to take a shuttle to a terminal!! I was over 3 hours late to getting the LA! Should have been here at 8:30 and at an appointment at 10:30 and arrived and left lax at 11 am!! Horrible experience!!!

Once again, the staff seem to think they are above the customers and treat everyone with disdain, belittling people.

Flight was canceled 8 hours before departure for lack of operational control and prepositioning of a plane. Then had the audacity to say it was because of weather, however there was no weather here in California or New Orleans or in between. It was the weather in Florida, Florida it had nothing to do with our flight path just the plane was supposed to fly us. 8 hours is more than enough time to move a plane anywhere in the US. That left me with a bill of 1200 dollars to re book a flight oh and kayaks insurance what a joke. Probably will never use kayak or spirit ever again terrible companies terrible customer service. I’ll also let everyone and anyone know this was an abomination and only for the customer. Also will be making a report to the DOT on bad business practices on behalf of kayak and spirit as well as the BBB. Do better, take care of your customers and don’t suck

The airplane had a strange noise that was constant throughout the flight. Thankfully I had noise-cancelling over-ear headphones that muted much of it.

Our flight was canceled. I will never use Kayak nor Frontier for travel again. The entire experience was a headache.

First of all we hade waited 3 hours in the airplane waiting to leave. Second the return schedule was changed and it messed up my entire vaction. I won't buy never again another flight and recommend to nobody traveling with them.

I am writing to express my disappointment with my recent Frontier Airlines flight. I was charged $99 at the gate because my bag was said to be too large, yet once onboard there was no available overhead bin space, and I was required to place the bag under the seat in front of me anyway. This made the charge feel unnecessary and unfair. Additionally, before the flight even took off, I was asked to move from the seat I paid for into a middle seat so another passenger and her cat could have my seat to themselves. I was not offered compensation or an explanation for being moved from a paid seat. Between the unexpected bag fee and being forced to give up my seat, this experience fell well below acceptable customer service standards. I would appreciate a review of this situation and appropriate compensation.

Terrible. Flight cancelled with no reasoning and no flights to rebook. Employees were useless and did nothing to help. Did not even know where to retrieve luggage from the cancelled flight. Flyers beware.

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

i was unable to check in the flight. refund requested

I think Frontier was very good at communication. Their app worked very well. Loading was great and the flight was nice and easy.

Great for the price. No wifi or entertainment, but gate agents and crew were fantastic and we boarded quickly and left on time.

sluggish boarding and arrival procedures, fake nice flight attendants, and lots of delays.

Decent clean onboard experience. Okay discount airline experience. Unfortunately, any customer service interactions are difficult and unhelpful. There is no service. Also, a premium seat only gets you premium boarding if you line up first. Once they start general boarding you must go to the back of the line. Not very premium

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports