RIC - SAN

$120 Find Cheap Flights from Richmond to San Diego - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Richmond to San Diego departing on 8/5. 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 Richmond to San Diego.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Richmond to San Diego.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$240
Typical prices: $357-$502
Frontier
Thu 9/10Thu 9/24
RIC - SAN • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$120
Typical prices: $243-$383
Frontier
Wed 8/5
RIC - SAN • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $240 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Richmond and San Diego. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
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Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $335 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 45m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
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Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 35% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 21% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+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
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Richmond to San Diego (RIC-SAN)

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

Thu, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 24
Frontier Logo
7:44 pm - 11:59 pm
RIC
-
SAN
7h 15m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 6:49 pm
SAN
-
RIC
9h 24m
1 stop
$240Frontier
Tue, Sep 1 - Tue, Sep 8
JetBlue Logo
9:38 am - 6:56 pm
RIC
-
SAN
12h 18m
1 stop
JetBlue Logo
8:40 pm - 11:00 am
SAN
-
RIC
11h 20m
1 stop
$251JetBlue
Wed, Jul 22 - Wed, Jul 29
Frontier Logo
6:47 pm - 9:05 am
RIC
-
SAN
17h 18m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 5:52 pm
SAN
-
RIC
8h 27m
1 stop
$271Frontier
Thu, Sep 10 - Wed, Sep 16
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:44 pm - 11:59 pm
RIC
-
SAN
7h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:20 pm - 11:00 am
SAN
-
RIC
11h 40m
1 stop
$278Multiple Airlines
Thu, Sep 17 - Sun, Sep 20
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:44 pm - 11:59 pm
RIC
-
SAN
7h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:20 pm - 11:00 am
SAN
-
RIC
11h 40m
1 stop
$283Multiple Airlines
Fri, Jul 24 - Wed, Jul 29
Frontier Logo
6:47 pm - 11:51 pm
RIC
-
SAN
8h 04m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 5:52 pm
SAN
-
RIC
8h 27m
1 stop
$295Frontier
Fri, Jul 17 - Tue, Jul 21
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:47 pm - 11:51 pm
RIC
-
SAN
8h 04m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:40 pm - 8:48 am
SAN
-
RIC
9h 08m
1 stop
$306Multiple Airlines
Mon, Jul 20 - Thu, Jul 23
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:47 pm - 11:51 pm
RIC
-
SAN
8h 04m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:40 pm - 8:48 am
SAN
-
RIC
9h 08m
1 stop
$309Multiple Airlines
Wed, Nov 11 - Mon, Nov 16
JetBlue Logo
11:45 am - 6:54 pm
RIC
-
SAN
10h 09m
1 stop
JetBlue Logo
8:40 pm - 10:55 am
SAN
-
RIC
11h 15m
1 stop
$315JetBlue
Fri, Aug 14 - Tue, Aug 18
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:47 pm - 11:51 pm
RIC
-
SAN
8h 04m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:40 pm - 8:48 am
SAN
-
RIC
9h 08m
1 stop
$320Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

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

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Richmond to San Diego?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Richmond to San Diego departing in September.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Richmond 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 Richmond to San Diego is October, where tickets cost $396 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $588 and $558 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond to San Diego, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 35% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 21 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$120
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 8% increase in price.
Flight from Richmond to San Diego

When to book flights from Richmond to San Diego

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

  • On which airline can I travel without being stuck in the middle seat?

    We recommend avoiding the middle seat when flying solo from RIC to SAN. Breeze Airways flies you in Embraer jet aircraft, with seats laid out in a 2-2 arrangement (two seats on each side of the aisle), so no seats are in the middle.

  • Which is the most family-friendly airline on this route?

    Frontier Airlines allows infants (less than 2 years old) to fly for free on their parent’s lap. They also have a ‘Kids Fly Free’ program for children between 2 and 14 years. Also, save for your family travel with their club membership for nine people on your booking. Various games and collectible trading cards will keep your kids busy on board.

  • Can I fly with a large breed dog?

    Most airlines only accept small pets from 8 weeks old and service animals in the cabin, but American Airlines allows active US military personnel to travel with large dog breeds. As a military service member, you must be on an official order for your large breed dog to be checked as baggage. Your dog should be in a special crate.

  • How can I expedite my security checks at Richmond International Airport (RIC)?

    Airlines like United work with the government to help passengers move through the airport gates faster with programs such as TSA PreCheck, Mobile Passport Control (MPC), and Global Entry. Considering RIC is a busy airport with only two security checkpoints, so we recommend the TSA PreCheck option, which grants you a Known Traveler Number to access a shorter screening lane. You don’t have to remove your belts, shoes, or laptops from briefcases.

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

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Richmond to San Diego was $120 for a one-way ticket and $240 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Richmond to San Diego.

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

    On your way to San Diego, you’ll fly out from Richmond Byrd Intl. You’ll be landing at San Diego.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

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

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

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to San Diego from Richmond?

    Charlotte is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from Richmond to San Diego.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Richmond to San Diego are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $526 and an overall rating of 7.9, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $508 and an overall rating of 7.8.

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

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

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

  • Flights from Richmond International Airport (RIC) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) have at least one layover – Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) being the most popular on Spirit Airlines, Breeze Airways, and Frontier. United and American Airlines stop at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Sun Country Air changes planes twice – once at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) and once at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
  • The flight upgrade system of Spirit Airlines uses a pay-as-you-go model. To upgrade to a larger seat or Big Front Seat, you must buy extra personalized services before your flight. If you are a frequent flyer with an elite status (Gold or Silver), you are eligible for a free upgrade to the exit row. As a Gold member, select a free exit seat when booking, but as a Silver member, wait until three hours before departure (subject to availability).
  • Take note of Southwest Airlines’ unconventional boarding process: first-come, first-serve. Arrive at the check-in with your group on time to sit together without additional costs. Your boarding slot depends on your check-in time, which you can do online no later than 24 hours before departure. However, A-List members and EarlyBird Check-In subscribers are automatically assigned a seat 36 hours before the flight.
  • When unsure about your flight date and time, we recommend buying a changeable or refundable airfare. JetBlue excels in offering budget-friendly flight options on the route RIC-SAN. Most of their fare tiers (Blue, Blue Plus, Blue Extra, and Mint) allow you to change or cancel flights at no extra fee, except for the Blue Basic.
  • When taking the route RIC-MSP-LAS-SAN on a Sun Country Air, you can relax at the Escape Lounge inside the Lindbergh Terminal 1 of MSP airport (between concourses E and F post-security). Use your Amex Platinum card for free access.

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Richmond 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 Richmond 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.
7.9
SouthwestOverall score based on 4245 reviews
8.6Crew
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

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

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Jan 2026
SFO - SAN
Read more Southwest reviews

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.

Delays delays delays. Late taking off, late landing, wait for a gate, etc.

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

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

Our first flight was so delayed that we had 10 mins to board the next one. We requested if the flight attendant could allow us off there plane first and they denied our request even though I have seen this done before. Luck was on our side that we didn’t miss our next flight.

Everything was great except for the in-flight wifi that wasn't working.

It was great! The new boeing has much more space and charging ports!

Took a little longer than normal, but the process is clear and easy to understand.

Baggage check in would have been better if the service clerk told the other clerk that she was merging her two long lines of customers with her line so she could move luggage. Instead she only told the customers. When I told the agent and ask if she could direct who is next in line so we weren’t trying to cut in front of each other she said it’s not her problem and she can’t work three lines. I was shocked. Understood that they were working more than their share but some organization so the customers aren’t getting upset at each other would have gone a long way

Gate agent rushed to fill hot jetway with crowd so it took over 12 minutes to go from gate to plane. Just like a discount airline Pooly prepared cabin and third time that claim of rough air prevented any cabin service. Friends on a Southwest flight at similar time had service.

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.

Rough day of travel all the way around. Wrong info given to us multiple times and mistakes in their booking making our trip 10 hours longer than planned. I’m bummed because I fly Delta all the time and love them. Mistakes happen. Just bummed that this was a rare trip our whole family was traveling together.

It was good until there was a 3 hour delay because there was not any pilots to fly the plane.

Everything was very good other than I had selected a specific seat when I booked the flight and they changed it once I checked-in the day before my flight. I was still in first class but lost my aisle seat for a window seat. Being tall, the aisle offers more comfort so I always select an aisle seat.

Flight diverted in SD. Later take off in Seattle by 1.3hrs

Was a great smooth flight from Detroit to San Diego.

The boarding process was terrible especially with an indirect flight Chicago to Seattle to San Diego was terrible talking about we overbooked a flight idk if I’d take this airline ever again we got off our flight from Chicago to Seattle and we traveled for business and they told us our connecting flight was over booked and their was no seats asking people to take a delayed next flight and they don’t tell anyone coughing to wear masks seats 30A-B were terrible during the flight no one wants to sit next to people coughing all around I don’t want to be sick traveling for work or get sick anytime it’s very upsetting the staff doesn’t take this stuff serious to tell them to wear masks when they see people coughing and sneezing

They made us check our bag…. Even though there was plenty of space up top… and then proceeded to shatter by brand new luggage 😞

Food could have been better. A little more leg room would have been appreciated.

This was an overnight flight, and in the morning they did know coffee service. How you can throw passengers in a San Francisco airport at 5:40 a.m. in the morning and not giving them Coffee is a crime.

They did the one thing that really matters - got to Chicago early.

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.

Was a pain having to leave the plane and reboard but glad the plane was fixed

Connecting flights were poor,especially in Naples.our Lufthansa air bus was a joke.way too small for that long of a flight.no room at all.couldn’t even get out of the seats to move around or go to the bathrooms.we thought we were getting an actual air bus,double decker.i will never fly that long in a plane like that again.kind of misleading to call it an air bus.we actually had more room on our buses that we used.

It is a modern tragedy that any airline expects you to travel for 14 hours in such discomfort and that the only way to add comfort is exorbitant prices. I was in pain by the time we landed. Shameful.

For a 22 minute flight all you expect is for it to be safe and comfortable

Planes were on time, we were offered opportunities to take seats in exit aisles that had better leg room, tasks offs and landings were smooth, we were kept informed of flight status

Lost connnection had to stayON in Chicago Was a mess

Booked economy through United - air canada treated it as standby and was almost refused boarding.

Delayed for mechanical and no updates on what was happening and how long the delay might be.

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

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.

The service and food needs to improve to catch up with other international flights

The flight crew was fantastic! Which the seats had a small TV.

also wi-fi never worked attendant said satellite coverage is spotty over water ..... but we were over land!

They attended to my needs as I couldn't walk and they provided a wheelchair for me.q

This time my flight was smooth and uneventful. They started boarding even earlier than it was scheduled. I was pleasantly surprised. Thank you!

Boarding was a mess - the agent basically called every group in rapid succession, so there was no organization at all. The economy seats are a joke, and main cabin extra seats were sold out when I purchased my flight. As such, I was locked in the same position for four hours. Being 6’6”, it was impossible to get my bag out from under the seat in front of me, and I couldn’t have used my laptop even if my bag were accessible due to the minuscule seat pitch. Also the wifi was broken. American is a joke - can’t wait until they merge with Spirit.

Cons: "Just seemed chaotic. Plane super late departing. Baggage pick up was a nightmare."

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

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

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

I went to the Frontier counter in San Jose at 1030am or so on Sunday 10/13/24 to see if I could get an earlier flight to San Diego in lieu of my reserved 630pm flight. One thing led to another, and I was able to obtain an open seat for about $ 56. on the earlier flight. Fine. Then the agent asked if I "was checking a bag". Not knowing that carry-ons cost extra per Frontier policy, I thought that she meant a regular checked bag. Therefore, I said no. Once I got to the gate, the same gate agent who sold me a ticket told me that I had to pay $99 for a carry-on, and that all bags were extra on Frontier. Having never flown on Frontier, I was not aware of this. Part of the issue was that she was not a native English speaker, so there was a miscommunication as to what "bag" meant. I would have preferred for her to have clearly let me know at the front counter that any bag including a carry-on cost $99. It would have had the same outcome, as I had to take my carry-on. But it got hectic at the last minute at the gate itself. The baggage policy should have mentioned "including carry-ons" when we first spoke.

Literally everything could have been better. Why are the planes always late?

9hrs delay and didn’t provided anything until after flight landed $75 voucher for fiuture travel no meals or anything.

They cancelled the flight then did nothing to help us rebook. It was awful - I won’t fly with them again

The truck that was refueling the plane drove away with the hose still connected to the plane and ripped part of the plane off with it

The boarding time. I was in Section 1 the lady in charge just let people in section 3 without see us. Make a line , I have to step out and ask her. We were in the line and she just take my ticket and that’s it, so if I don’t ask her she could leave us at the end! We paid more for that privilege and. She doesn’t care….

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports