SAN - CMH

$86 Find Cheap Flights from San Diego to Columbus

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Diego to Columbus departing on 2/28. 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 Columbus Airport

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

Cheapest round-trip
$168
Overall average: $365
Frontier
Thu 2/26Mon 3/2
SAN - CMH • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$279
Southwest
Sat 2/28Sat 3/7
SAN - CMH • Non-stop
Top airlines
Frontier
Cheapest • from $168 (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 28% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
April
Cheapest • 11% price drop
September
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Nonstop flights
5 days a week
There are direct flights from San Diego to Columbus 5 days a week: Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun.
Direct flights
Direct flights
Direct flights
Direct flights
Start a new search
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We hope you love your trip to Columbus!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Diego to Columbus (SAN-CMH)

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

Thu, Feb 26 - Mon, Mar 2
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:13 pm - 12:08 am
CMH
-
SAN
6h 55m
1 stop
$168Frontier
Thu, Feb 19 - Mon, Feb 23
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:13 pm - 12:08 am
CMH
-
SAN
6h 55m
1 stop
$179Frontier
Thu, Mar 5 - Sun, Mar 8
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
7:33 pm - 12:08 am
CMH
-
SAN
7h 35m
1 stop
$185Frontier
Thu, Mar 5 - Sun, Mar 8
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:51 pm - 8:05 am
CMH
-
SAN
20h 14m
2 stops
$186Frontier
Thu, Feb 26 - Mon, Mar 2
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:19 am - 9:41 pm
CMH
-
SAN
37h 22m
2 stops
$197Frontier
Thu, Mar 5 - Sun, Mar 8
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:23 pm
SAN
-
CMH
9h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:51 pm - 8:05 am
CMH
-
SAN
20h 14m
2 stops
$198Frontier
Sun, Mar 1 - Wed, Mar 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:09 am - 7:24 pm
SAN
-
CMH
7h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
11:39 am - 1:43 pm
CMH
-
SAN
29h 04m
2 stops
$203Multiple Airlines
Mon, Mar 2 - Mon, Mar 9
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 7:28 pm
SAN
-
CMH
10h 03m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
9:15 am - 9:14 pm
CMH
-
SAN
38h 59m
2 stops
$206Frontier
Sat, Feb 28 - Sat, Mar 7
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:23 pm - 7:24 pm
SAN
-
CMH
28h 01m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 12:16 am
CMH
-
SAN
21h 31m
2 stops
$210Multiple Airlines
Sat, Feb 28 - Sat, Mar 7
American Airlines Logo
1:37 pm - 12:26 am
SAN
-
CMH
7h 49m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
3:45 pm - 8:37 pm
CMH
-
SAN
7h 52m
1 stop
$231American Airlines
Booking Insights

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

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

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Diego to Columbus Airport, 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 San Diego to Columbus Airport is April, where tickets cost $362 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and May, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $478 and $472 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Diego to Columbus Airport, 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 San Diego to Columbus Airport, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 28% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 15 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonApril
Cheapest flight$86
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 12% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 10% increase in price.
Flight from San Diego to Columbus

When to book flights from San Diego to Columbus

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

  • What is the luggage allowance on Delta flights from San Diego to Columbus?

    Except for Basic Economy fares, Delta usually allows each passenger to bring one carry-on bag and one personal item. The carry-on bag should fit in the overhead bin and should not exceed 22 × 14 × 9 in. The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you and should not exceed 18 in x 14 in x 8 in. Checked bags are subject to a fee depending on the weight and the number of bags.

  • What services does Spirit Airlines offer for economy passengers on flights from San Diego to Columbus?

    There are no seat back screens or in-flight entertainment systems on Spirit Airlines flights. Passengers are encouraged to bring their own devices to watch movies, listen to music, or play games on flights from San Diego to Columbus. Passengers can purchase snacks and drinks on board, including alcoholic beverages. There are also combo meal and snack options available for purchase.

  • How do I get from Columbus Airport (CMH) to the city center?

    Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are readily available outside the terminal, and a ride to the city center takes around 10–20 minutes. The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) operates a bus line that runs between the airport and the city center. The bus runs every 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the time of day. Tickets can be purchased with cash when boarding the bus, or with a credit card or smartphone through the COTA app.

  • What seat selection option is available on American Airlines flights from San Diego to Columbus?

    American Airlines offers several seat selection options that vary depending on the type of ticket purchased for flights from San Diego to Columbus. No advanced seat selection is allowed for Basic Economy passengers. Seats are assigned at check-in, and there may be limited or no availability for choosing seats together with travel companions. Advanced seat selection is available for Main Cabin passengers.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Diego to Columbus Airport was $86 for a one-way ticket and $168 for a round-trip.

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

    No

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Diego to Columbus are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $458 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 $395 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

    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 San Diego to Columbus.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Columbus from San Diego 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 San Diego to Columbus?

    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 Columbus with an airline and back to San Diego with another airline. Booking your flights between San Diego and CMH 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 San Diego to Columbus?

    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 Columbus from San Diego 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 San Diego to Columbus Airport

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $263 or less one-way.
  • JetBlue offers Family Boarding, which allows families with children under the age of 12 to board the plane before general boarding. Families can also choose seats together so that parents can sit with their children on flights from San Diego (SAN) to Columbus (CMH).
  • United offers flights from San Diego to Columbus and has committed to sourcing 100 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over the next decade. The use of SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%.
  • Flights from San Diego to Columbus have layovers in a number of different cities depending on which airline you choose. Some of these cities include Los Angeles (LAX), Orlando (MCO), Las Vegas (LAS), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Chicago (ORD), and Dallas (DFW).
  • San Diego Airport (SAN) has a single terminal building, which is divided into three sections: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 East, and Terminal 2 West. These terminals are connected by a landside terminal roadway and an airside pedestrian bridge.
  • Frontier Airlines allows small pets to travel with their owners in the cabin of the plane for flights from San Diego to Columbus. The pet must be able to fit comfortably in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you, and only one pet per passenger is allowed.

Prefer to fly direct from San Diego to Columbus?

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

Direct departures

San Diego to Columbus

Monday

Southwest

Southwest

Thursday

Southwest

Southwest

Friday

Southwest

Southwest

Saturday

Southwest

Southwest

Sunday

Southwest

Southwest

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Columbus to San Diego

Monday

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 San Diego to Columbus

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Diego to Columbus. 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 San Diego to Columbus? 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 4273 reviews
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
8.6Crew
7.0Food
Airline reviews

The wifi on the plane is great. The only issue that I have is that I prefer an aisle seat and on my trips this week, I was either in the middle or window. If we can work to secure aisle seating, I will be thrilled. Nice trip.

8.0 ExcellentJoseph, Jan 2026
LGB - PHX
Read more Southwest reviews

The wifi on the plane is great. The only issue that I have is that I prefer an aisle seat and on my trips this week, I was either in the middle or window. If we can work to secure aisle seating, I will be thrilled. Nice trip.

Great flight but super high price. Glad it was a business trip and not personal

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

We got exit row seats both flights. Everything was running on time

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.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

Crew could have been friendlier, maybe I'm spoiled by SW crews. In flight wifi was good. Would be nice to have more food offerings on a 4 plus hour flight

Had to get off plane from prior flight even though I had to reboard same plane to continue to my final destination.

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

Delta One is extraordinary. I fly business when somebody hires me. I just wonder why there is such a chasm between business class and the insanely inhumane and nonsensical coach. The seats are not large enough to fit even my tiny wife. We fly 10% of what we did because we don’t want to pay 5-10 k but for $400 it’s unbearable. It seems like the accountants took over and made stupid decisions. Screw in 20 extra seats and make it so unbearable that people fly 90% less. Just put the damn price up and put some proper chairs in. But business, yay.

Excellent flight and got us around tough weather. Only issue was seat TV did not work and crew tried to reboot.

Delta’s staff is unmatched. From the gate agents, to the pilots, to the flight attendants… all top of the industry.

The flight was delayed for about 2 hrs. Other than it, it was good.

I am extremely disappointed that delta internal pilot manuals now refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “gulf of America”. You can bow down to the Orange turd on your own. I will never fly delta again

No lunch on a x-country flight scheduled for 10:50 am departure, arrived 5+ hrs later. That requires a black box label before you pay for the tickets. Worst, when I checked in online, it's specifically said that lunch was served on his flight for economy Plus passengers.

Our flight from SFO to MSP was right on time on 11/15/2025. No delays. As we approached MSP at about 8 pm, we circled in the air until 8:40 pm so I don't call that efficient for MSP. I think the captain should announce the delay and why. (as if we all don't know that we are just circling around the area, slowing down, speeding up, slowing down.) Thank you. Marilyn Fischer

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.

The flight used a B767 with a very old interior from before 2014. The entertainment system did not work at all during the flight despite attempts to reset the system. It was like they flew this route just to be competitive.

Delayed flight (1hour) plus a long layover after an overnight flight with no backup plane available.

The food was terrible this time. Otherwise pleasant, quiet, on-time.

It was a pretty standard flight... until the almost hour and a half spent on the taxi way. I get that the weather has been poor but the delay had nothing to do with the weather and more to do with a plane with several issues tying up the gate. I get that that happens from time to time but this has been EVERY flight I've been on for the past 5 years and I fly 3 to 5 times a year. This isn't just United... it's American, it's Delta. It's an issue with the entire industry. I work for UPS and packages on a cargo plane get better service than people do these days. Anymore I HATE flying.

The flight crew where really good. Better then the crew from BNE to SFO

left on time, reasonable boarding process arrived early luggage came out quickly

I’m so sorry, I can’t remember her name, I believe it was Dimpti. She was stellar, also a mature Asian flight attendant, lots of flowers in her hair, just as amazing! But literally the crew was AWESOME . Only downside is there weren’t any charging outlets. Maybe I needed to ask a flight attendant , but it would’ve been nice to have one easily accessible.

I boarded flight UA#1318 at Sacramento International Airport going back to Houston TX. The flight was scheduled at 5:10am. I was able to check in virtually using the United Airlines app. When I entered the airport, there was no one outside assisting with checked bags as it was for Delta Airlines. Immediately upon entering, there was a LONG, EXTREMELY LONG line to the kiosks to get boarding passes. I stand in line to get boarding passes then had to move to ANOTHER EXTREMELY LONG line to get my bags checked in. While standing in this line, we noticed an agent taking customers to 3 at a time to her station to check their bags in. Lucky for me, she called me back, checked my bags for me and I was on my way. I then encountered another long line at the TSA check and to avoid I ending up having to sign up for CLEAR to bypass it. So glad, I did.,...Both of my flights were great with no issues, butthe check in progress at Bush Airport was so much smoother. Check-in at SMF airport needs to be anaylzed and corrected. Do better United, I know you can....thanks

Pushed back only to get deplaned due to a tire damaged by ground crew. They did at least go pretty fast. The bathrooms should be banned under the Geneva convention. No room to even sit straight on the toilet. The under-seat entertainment units block what little leg room there is.

United airlines has the best customer experience from booking to arrival. I always fly United airlines. The mileage program is excellent

Older aircraft, no meal, only food was for purchase. Not impressed United.

Not pleasant trip cross country when the entertainment and WiFi system not working. No entertainment for entirety of route. Staff was rather nonchalant in that they dismissed the problem due to age of plane. It would have been nice to know this up front so I could have come prepared to read or download movies before boarding Coincidentally or not, there was a similar issue with the entertainment system on my previous flight I took on my fist leg of the trip. There are no seat TVs, so you must rely on the app when it works. United can do better. Also, what use it it to pay for boarding group 2 when half of the passengers are in the same line as you?

It would be nice to have some low carb options in the snacks.

one crew said "he" didn't serve double alcohol drinks for travelers in exit rows. crew on prior flight did. Is this a AA rule, and the prior crew was being nice? Also, I think we deserve more than a 25% refund for losing first class seats when rescheduling a flight due to weather

Could we please end the loud announcements about credit card offers on your flights? We are trying to sleep, work, watch videos, etc. and if we need a credit card, we will ask for one. Flying is already not what it used to be.

The entertainment options were at best, fair. It was exactly the same as my outbound flight. It would have been more entertaining if there were some series from Apple TV, HBO, Showtime or other carriers for me to catch up with.

Flight delay and multiple gate changes including a change near boarding time to another terminal, which in DFW is a pain. Pre-boarding delay and also a further delay on the ground after boarding. About an hour and a half total delay.

The flight was on time and arrived early. The crew were friendly and helpful.

Overall experience was great. Flights were almost on time in departing and we arrived at our destination as scheduled. No issues with amenities or flight crew. Everything went well as as expected. Will fly again with American Airlines in the future!

The captain brought my 6 year old son into the cockpit and allowed him to ask questions, sit in the captain’s chair and talk about all the gears and levers. Made the trip very special for him.

Horrible. Both legs of my flight were delayed more than 6 hours. No compensation, no screens on the plane, and the plane was not clean.

we landed at cmh ten minutes early but had to sit on tarmac for twenty minutes because a plane was at our gate despite the fact that 3 other gates were open.

For the price of the fare, there really isn’t much to complain about.

A Spirit agent caused me to miss my flight. The company has not responded for request of refund. Stay away from Spirit.

I arrived two hours early, and at 9:20 I was still queuing for security.

Got to LAX at 3:20 am, the counter personnel did not start to check in bags till 3:40 am. I patiently waited at the priority check in line as they started to take people from the general line. After about 15 minutes of waiting, I approached the lady exactly in front of the priority line and asked her if they would be taking people from the priority line or if I would need to switch to waiting in the general line. She responded “yes”, I then asked her yes to what? And she yelled back at me loudly “I SAID YES!” Needless to say, I waited at the end of the line of the general line. I could have been told the priority line would not be called upon and could have queued in the general line ahead of many people that arrived to cue after I did

Terrible they canceled the flight very sheepishly and ended up costing me 1200 dollars and kayak and xcover are doing nothing

No free snacks or drinks. Freezing. Uncomfortable. No plugs or entertainment. If you fly to LA the make you change terminals with a slow bus. Awful trip that took forever. Terrible airline- maybe the worst I’ve ever flown.

Crew are always very angry and dismissive like they seem they are being forced to work. In addition, there was a long line for the bathrooms, and only one was allowed to be used. No reason was given for only one bathroom being available; apparently, the stewardess was more interested in using the jumpseat instead of allowing the customers to use the bathroom.

No leg room. My knee was sore for a day.

The flight was cancelled at the last minute. Will never fly Spirit again. Without a doubt the worst airline around.

Vegas is such a quick flight that amenities aren’t the important part, in my opinion. Just get me there efficiently and safely, and that’s exactly what they did!

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports