SJO - WAS

$201 Find Cheap Flights from San José to Washington, D.C.

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 José to Washington, D.C. departing on 10/5. 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 Washington, D.C.

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to Washington, D.C., 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 San José to Washington, D.C., as well as popular online travel agencies
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 24% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$339
Typical prices: $333-$222
Avianca
Thu 10/22Mon 10/26
SJO - IAD • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$390
Overall average: $419
Avianca
Thu 10/22Tue 10/27
SJO - IAD • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
Avianca's Classic fare includes a checked bag and seat.
United's Economy Plus offers extra legroom for comfort.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $339 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.5 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $216 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 35m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top routes
Cheapest • 25% average savings
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Avoid delays
Most punctual • 87% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 4% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 57% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Washington, D.C.!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San José to Washington, D.C. (SJO-WAS)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San José to Washington, D.C. 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 José to Washington, D.C.

Thu, Oct 22 - Mon, Oct 26
Avianca Logo
5:25 pm - 2:15 am
SJO
-
IAD
6h 50m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
2:30 am - 7:45 am
IAD
-
SJO
7h 15m
1 stop
$339Avianca
Fri, May 29 - Sat, Jun 6
Copa Airlines Logo
10:05 am - 4:21 am
SJO
-
IAD
16h 16m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
2:21 am - 11:06 am
IAD
-
SJO
10h 45m
1 stop
$340Copa Airlines
Wed, Sep 9 - Wed, Sep 16
Copa Airlines Logo
4:08 am - 3:15 pm
SJO
-
BWI
9h 07m
1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
4:41 pm - 7:10 am
BWI
-
SJO
16h 29m
1 stop
$340Copa Airlines
Fri, Sep 11 - Thu, Sep 17
Avianca Logo
3:10 pm - 4:20 am
SJO
-
IAD
11h 10m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
5:35 pm - 11:40 pm
IAD
-
SJO
8h 05m
1 stop
$342Avianca
Fri, Jun 5 - Sat, Jun 6
United Airlines Logo
7:55 am - 8:46 pm
SJO
-
IAD
10h 51m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:21 pm - 7:15 am
IAD
-
SJO
34h 54m
1 stop
$343United Airlines
Tue, Sep 8 - Tue, Sep 22
United Airlines Logo
7:55 am - 9:29 pm
SJO
-
BWI
35h 34m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
1:05 pm - 7:37 pm
BWI
-
SJO
8h 32m
1 stop
$343United Airlines
Fri, Jun 5 - Fri, Jun 12
United Airlines Logo
11:13 am - 10:15 pm
SJO
-
DCA
9h 02m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 10:39 pm
DCA
-
SJO
18h 39m
1 stop
$343United Airlines
Fri, Jun 26 - Sun, Jun 28
Avianca Logo
7:45 pm - 4:20 am
SJO
-
IAD
6h 35m
1 stop
Avianca Logo
3:40 am - 8:30 am
IAD
-
SJO
6h 50m
1 stop
$344Avianca
Wed, Jul 22 - Sat, Jul 25
American Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 6:26 pm
SJO
-
BWI
9h 26m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
8:15 pm - 11:50 am
BWI
-
SJO
17h 35m
2 stops
$364American Airlines
Wed, Jul 22 - Sat, Jul 25
American Airlines Logo
3:37 pm - 1:04 pm
SJO
-
BWI
19h 27m
2 stops
American Airlines Logo
8:15 pm - 11:50 am
BWI
-
SJO
17h 35m
2 stops
$365American Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San José to Washington, D.C. flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from San José to Washington, D.C.?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from San José to Washington, D.C. departing in October.

What is the cheapest San José to Washington, D.C. flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest return flight from San José to Washington, D.C. costs $306 on the route between San José (SJO) and Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD). Over the past month, this route was, on average, 25% cheaper than other San José-Washington, D.C. routes. It is also the most popular route.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San José to Washington, D.C.?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San José to Washington, D.C. clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from San José to Washington, D.C., look for departures on Thursdays and avoid leaving on a Sunday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Washington, D.C., Thursday is the cheapest day to fly and Saturday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San José to Washington, D.C.?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Washington, D.C., 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 José to Washington, D.C. is July, where tickets cost $81 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and November, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $772 and $178 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from San José to Washington, D.C.?

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.

No, with an average price for the route of $255, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San José to Washington, D.C.?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Washington, D.C., 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 José to Washington, D.C., you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 4% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from San José to Washington, D.C.

 
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
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and IAD

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on Avianca and SJO

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and has covered air travel for multiple top consumer and trade media outlets.

Good to know

Low seasonAugust
Cheapest flight$201
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 2% lower on average.
Flight from San José to Baltimore

When to book flights from San José to Washington, D.C.

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San José to Washington, D.C. 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 San José to Washington, D.C.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San José to Washington, D.C. was $201 for a one-way ticket and $339 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San José and Washington, D.C.?

    A passport is required to fly from San José to Washington, D.C..

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    On your way to Washington, D.C., you’ll fly out from San José Juan Santamaria Intl. You’ll be landing in one of Washington, D.C.’s 2 airports: Washington, D.C. Reagan-National or Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    Lufthansa, Iberia, Air Canada, and American Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San José to Washington, D.C. flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San José to Washington, D.C. flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between San José and Washington, D.C., with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    You can catch a nonstop flight from San José to Washington, D.C. on on Saturday, and Sunday.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San José to Washington, D.C., Copa Airlines or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to Washington, D.C. are Copa Airlines and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $333 and an overall rating of 7.5, Copa Airlines is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $255 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    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 José to Washington, D.C..

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Washington, D.C. from San José 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 José to Washington, D.C.?

    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 Washington, D.C. with an airline and back to San José with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San José to Washington, D.C.?

    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 Washington, D.C. from San José 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 José to Washington, D.C.

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $370 or less one-way.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San José to Washington, D.C.

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San José to Washington, D.C.. 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 José to Washington, D.C.? 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.
7.5
Copa AirlinesOverall score based on 1579 reviews
6.8Food
8.1Crew
7.4Comfort
6.8Entertainment
7.7Boarding
Airline reviews

I was flying business class, and the French fellow passengers were super noisy. It was not a comfortable flight. And the crew was not helpful.

2.0 MediocreFiruz, Apr 2026
MEX - PTY
Read more Copa Airlines reviews

I was flying business class, and the French fellow passengers were super noisy. It was not a comfortable flight. And the crew was not helpful.

Boarding was a mess, they call all priority members without distinction so gold, platinum, silver were all mixed together in a long line which defeats the purpose

Avoid at all costs. My wife had to stay back on a connecting flight as her parents flight was delayed. 10 days later on the way back they cancelled all our flights. We had to rebook all four of us on the next days flight.

Do not book it’s a scam! They stole $1200 from me

Flight got delayed; had to go through security three times.

A lot things happened in this trip.The fly should be less stress.

The flight was good overall. Everything went smoothly, although the landing was a bit rough. Still, it was a pleasant experience

I always enjoy flying Copa. There are very few airlines where I can enjoy a comfortable sleep in-flight. The snacks weren't the best, but they sufficed. The in-flight entertainment was fantastic, and I crossed another movie off my watch list.

Very strict carry on rules meant most of the plane had to gate check their luggage. As is often the case had things that were broken because of this, but I appreciated not being charged to gate check. Otherwise good flight and great crew once on the plane

Some of the Air hostesses are not that friendly. Need improvement

We were a little disappointed to not be able to complete check in online without uploading pics of passports. Also we have KTN's and they weren't on our boarding passes when we got to security. Had to trek back to counter to have them fix.

Excellent service in Polaris class IAD to ZRH. Arrived rested and well fed after the overnight flight.

It's a short hop. My carryon was checked at the gate, I didn't have to drag it all over the airport. Excellent wheelchair assist.

Was great in general, try to respect time and excuses when slight changes have been made, appreciated!

Terrific in every way. On time, professional staff, multiple movie options to select, great food and drink.

My bags were misplaced!!! Im in a foreign country with no bags

I liked that it was on time, however, the food was not good.

Offered to check carry on to final destination. This is the most absurd thing in the world. I'm carrying on because I need what is in the carry-on. I'm okay with picking up at next stop but then I will be on much larger plane that can accommodate it. Also, if there is ever a change to your flight. Go to the airport and have the people there fix your ticket. Don't do it over the phone or online with United they screwed us up and ended up with flights for our last leg that took off before our first leg.

United is one airline which regardless of how many separate United tickets in existence, if one flight breaks down, the airline will take care of all the flights.

It was okay, the food was good, but after the landing there was not enough time for luggage and security to catch a connection. It was crowded on board.

The airplane was an old model, the overhead didn’t have enough room for people’s items and made boarding and boarding disappointing and stressful. Crew allowed passengers to bring more than the permitted baggage sizes.

It was great. Smooth flight, comfortable, left on time and landed on time.

Horrible experience upon landing. Probably more due to DCA utter incompetence than AA.

Easy boarding. Rows are smaller but that may be an older and bigger me now :)

Flight has been delayed every time I've ever taken it. Seats uncomfortable. Children behind me yelling the entire flight. Some of this is out of their control but overall just consistently not a great experience.

Poor communication ahead of time about flight delays and old planes/other equipment.

Never going to fly your airline again if it can be avoided.

Not to have gotten delayed by 2+ hours for the fourth straight American flight. They're the worst.

Other than nearly three hour delay for maintenance issues, everything went smooth

Snow delayed boarding several times, which I understand happens. Issue I had was that after we did board, pilot told us we were going to roll out to be de-iced, then on our way. We were de-iced once, taxied to the tarmac and then stopped. Sat for another 30 minutes or so, the another de-icing. Then we rolled out to a parking spot, only to sit for another hour due to a traffic stop in DCA, which I'm confident they knew would happen before we boarded. Pilot gave no updates other than we had to hold, attendants did speak to the crew, but when asked, said the pilot would be updating us. We on the ground in the plane waiting for over 2 hours. They did communicate that bathrooms would be open, but no other news until we left. Would have been better to be up front about status.

A flawless trip, great experience. Keep up the good work!

The employees at the gate were not communicating, they preferred to give the upgrade to pilots and not to the elite passengers Every flight I more disappointing, clients shooed be priority instead of other employees even if they are pilots, there was plenty room for pilots in economy

Horrible experience with Avianca, they delayed their flight and when we arrived to NYC, AVIANCA took 1 hr y 30 mins to park the airplane and all passenger get off the plane, it made me lost all my trains to get back home and I came back to my place at 3 am instead of 12 am. On the top of that their plane seat are so uncomfortable and is not enough space and killed my legs and knees, Avianca used to be good when it was a Colombian company, now after Brasilian company bought them, their service quality is bad and their flights are delayed and oversold.

Boarding was late due to the company’s that cleaned the aircraft (very poorly done) and the catering company. The entertainment system was not working for this six hour flight, uncomfortable seats in business (barely any cushion or recline). The airline staff is very good but the planes are horrible and not well maintained.

Deplaning was a mess, I sat in business (seats are horrible) and the front door had a problem so we had to deplane from the rear exit. The stairs were not tall enough to reach so there was a large step down from the plane to the top of the stairs.

I handed in my suitcase in perfect condition at SAL Airport. And in MIA Airport I received it with one corner broken and the wheels bent.

I like the crew members they're very friendly. Clean plane. The flight was on time. I dont like the comfort my car seat its better that the plane seats. They charge for everything. This airline was very good. Now it's a low cost airline

I like the crew they're very friendly. I don't like. on five hour flight they not offered snacks. Any drink. Not even coffee

6 hour flight and have to pay for everything 100 dollars to add a carry-on bag is insane

Horrible experience. Flight cancelled. Arrived at destination 12 hs later. No one gave us an answer or any information. Very very poor service. We won’t ever travel again with Avianca

The staff at the check in counter was so rude. Made you feel Incompetent

Frontier scheduled a 40 minute connection in DEN. What they failed to mention was that they “close the doors” 20 mins prior to departure, which means you only have 20 mins. Not enough time. Possibly against DOT regulations. Filing complaint.

Flight was scheduled at 9:40pm. Got delayed to 10 am, the next day. crazy

The bag check, flight check-in, and onboard experience convinced my wife and me that we will actively go out of our way to avoid flying Frontier Airlines in the future. At bag check, we were informed that check-in could only be completed via the Frontier mobile app. Unfortunately, the app was extremely frustrating—sending us through repetitive, confusing loops that repeatedly forced us to decline add-on services with nearly every click. While most airline apps upsell, this one felt intentionally exhausting. As the process dragged on, we became genuinely concerned that my phone battery would die before check-in could be completed. We approached the bag check staff—who were standing together talking—and explained both our frustration and our predicament. They laughed. Later, my wife described the interaction as “gaslighting,” which felt accurate. We were then informed it would cost $25 per person simply to have our boarding passes printed. From that point forward, the tone of the experience was consistently hostile. The bag check employees were condescending and combative, behaving more like bullies than customer service staff. Unfortunately, that same attitude continued onboard. One flight attendant argued with me when I attempted to stow my backpack in the overhead bin. I explained that we had each paid $75 to check our bags specifically so we would not need to use carry-on space and could have adequate legroom. She demanded to see my ticket, pointed out that it said “no carry-on”—which I acknowledged—and I reiterated that this was precisely why we paid to check our bags. Her response was, “I don’t make the rules.” She then walked away, but not before asking if I “truly wanted to fly back to Chicago today?”—an unnecessary and unmistakable threat. It is also worth noting that despite booking our tickets together in the same transaction, we were not seated together. Upon our return to Chicago—where we could once again sit together—we compared onboard experiences. We both remarked on how unhappy the flight attendants appeared and how each of us was separately asked whether we would like to purchase a beverage. We declined. At no point was water mentioned as an option, leaving us with the clear impression that even water came at a cost—or that complimentary water, if available at all, was deliberately left unmentioned. Overall, the experience was shocking and deeply disappointing, but it was also a profound learning experience—one we will not forget and will not repeat. -Steve

Plane was hot and miserable and the crew was rude!

12 hour delay required getting on and off plane 3 times - would have at least liked to have been offered a snack or drink

They didn’t offer a water, even after I asked

Zero issues with this flight. Crew was outstanding and flight was super. Plane was clean and fine. The seats need more padding and water should be provided without cost. I recognize it's Frontier but there are some things that should still be part of the flight. But still very satisfied with the experience and quality.

They switched our terminal 3 times and we were delayed for four plus hours!!!

It was an early flight and most people napped/slept and the crew let us which was nice.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San José to Washington, D.C.

Information on your arrival and departure airports