SJO - WAS

$119 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 8/28. 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

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..
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..
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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.

Wed, Aug 27 - Sat, Sep 6
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:18 pm - 11:08 pmSJO-BWI
8h 50m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:50 am - 11:14 amBWI-SJO
6h 24m1 stop
$201Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Nov 1 - Sat, Nov 8
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 8:11 pmSJO-IAD
4h 41mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
10:10 pm - 11:25 amIAD-SJO
14h 15m1 stop
$211United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jan 13 - Mon, Jan 19
Avianca Logo
5:10 pm - 10:35 pmSJO-IAD
4h 25mnonstop
Avianca Logo
1:30 am - 7:45 amIAD-SJO
7h 15m1 stop
$218Avianca
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 28 - Thu, Sep 4
Avianca Logo
5:10 pm - 11:45 pmSJO-IAD
4h 35mnonstop
Avianca Logo
5:05 pm - 11:35 pmIAD-SJO
8h 30m1 stop
$220Avianca
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 25 - Sun, Sep 28
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 10:29 pmSJO-BWI
14h 29m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
6:52 pm - 11:12 amBWI-SJO
18h 20m2 stops
$230American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Nov 18 - Tue, Dec 9
American Airlines Logo
3:11 pm - 4:35 pmSJO-BWI
24h 24m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
8:16 pm - 12:05 pmBWI-SJO
16h 49m2 stops
$235American Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Jan 12 - Tue, Jan 20
Copa Airlines Logo
4:09 am - 2:10 pmSJO-BWI
9h 01m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
3:37 pm - 7:29 amBWI-SJO
16h 52m1 stop
$237Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 15 - Wed, Oct 29
Delta Logo
1:23 pm - 12:41 amSJO-BWI
9h 18m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 11:58 amBWI-SJO
7h 58m1 stop
$248Delta
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 25 - Mon, Sep 29
Delta Logo
1:35 pm - 12:28 amSJO-BWI
8h 53m1 stop
Delta Logo
5:35 am - 12:08 pmBWI-SJO
8h 33m1 stop
$252Delta
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 24 - Wed, Dec 31
Copa Airlines Logo
8:10 am - 12:07 amSJO-IAD
14h 57m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
3:31 pm - 7:29 amIAD-SJO
16h 58m1 stop
$258Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Expert advice

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

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
Avianca

Avianca's Classic fare includes a free checked bag and seat selection, ideal for longer flights.


Avianca's 787 Dreamliner offers seatback entertainment, enhancing comfort on longer flights.

United Airlines

United's Economy Plus offers up to 6 inches more legroom, enhancing comfort on longer flights.


United's Wi-Fi offers free messaging; check coverage before purchasing for better connectivity.

Airports
SJO

SJO offers free WiFi and 75 self-check-in kiosks. Arrive early as security lines can vary in length.

Read more about SJOby Mark Chesnut
IAD

The Silver Line Metro connects IAD to downtown D.C. in about 50 minutes, offering a convenient travel option.

Read more about IADby Stefanie Waldek
Our travel experts
Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on Avianca and SJO

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

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.

Read more
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and IAD

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

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.

Read more
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, San José Province to Washington, D.C.?

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 $218 on the route between San José (SJO) and Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD). Over the past month, this route was, on average, 42% 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 Fridays and avoid leaving on a Sunday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Washington, D.C., Tuesday 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 $270 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and January, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $387 and $362 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 $355, 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 6% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJune
Cheapest flight$119
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 3% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 22% increase in price.
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 $119 for a one-way ticket and $201 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.?

    Air Canada, and Iberia 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 Airbus A320neo 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.?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between San José and Washington, D.C..

  • 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 Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San José to Washington, D.C., Delta or Southwest?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to Washington, D.C. are Delta and Southwest. With an average price for the route of $328 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. Southwest is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $356 and an overall rating of 8.0.

  • 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 $208 or less one-way and $238 or less round-trip.

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.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 7982 reviews
8.5Crew
8.2Boarding
7.3Food
7.9Comfort
7.9Entertainment
Airline reviews

On this flight I felt the food offering was not as complete as on previous flights. The tomato salad was a bit off and there was nothing additional such a bread or butter. The breakfast was only one option, so you either ate what they had or ate nothing. The crew was efficient, but most seemed frustrated throughout the flight. The flight arrived early and was obstacle-free, so I’m overall quite happy, but the shine in the rest of the experience just wasn’t there.

8.0 ExcellentJeanne, Aug 2025MSY - JFK
Read more Delta reviews

On this flight I felt the food offering was not as complete as on previous flights. The tomato salad was a bit off and there was nothing additional such a bread or butter. The breakfast was only one option, so you either ate what they had or ate nothing. The crew was efficient, but most seemed frustrated throughout the flight. The flight arrived early and was obstacle-free, so I’m overall quite happy, but the shine in the rest of the experience just wasn’t there.

Our seats were comfortable with adequate room to stretch out and recline. The food was tasty and served it just the right intervals. Our flight attendant was extra attentive and friendly. Flight arrived early. And the most turbulence. Overall that’s good and experience for an 11 hour flight as can be hoped for

The seats got pretty uncomfortable pretty fast. The armrests are bigger than on other planes, so I had less room in the actual seat. My butt hurt by the end of the flight. :/ comfort was the primary issue. The crew were fantastic!

I believe that a four-hour trip should have a meal. Delta had none.

Great flight with Delta! Boarding was quick and easy, the amenities were solid, and the plane was in great shape. The flight attendants had a fun, lively energy while staying professional. All in all, a smooth trip — even managed to catch up on some rest. Thanks, Delta!

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

There was supposed to be a meal served, but there wasn’t and the major toilet was out of order

They made us board and then deboard due to mechanical issue which delayed the departure by almost 2 hours and we barely made our connecting flight. These quality checks should've been done before boarding not after.

Having to up charge for a seat assignment is not good. Delta can do better

I liked the friendliness of the staff. The cleanliness of all 3 planes.

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

horrible service, food was an embarrassment, no charging for cellphones, stay away

Great experience with a crew always thinking in the passenger

I selected first class expecting excetional service. It was mediocre at best. The food service was cold, meal choices was poor and on one leg they did provide dessert. I did enjoy the lay day seat but the movies were old and nothing current. Boarding the plane is always hot. So boarding is quite warm until your in the air. I took a small personal air fan. Update the meals and movies.

Had to go through security at the gate again. Had to take off shoes and go through the whole thing again even though we have global entry. They asked us to check in items bought at duty free during our layover and since we checked our luggage at the original departure airport, they forced us to check in a small backpack. None of this ever happened with other airlines. In addition, no vegetarian food option and no snacks during a 7 hr flight. Luggage limits are unusually small. This is unacceptable. Will NEVER fly Copa again and will tell friends and family to avoid this airline.

We paid extra with copa for seats near one another The plane was changed and we lost our seats We were all Separated. We have not received a refund for our seats despite emailing and calling.

Tell people to remain in their seats during the meal/beverage distribution. Enforce boarding by group numbers. No one was checking. Tell people to turn their electronics speakers off. Bigger cups for drinks.

We were in transit from Lima (flight at 1.10am) and we were in stand by in our flight from Panama to Washington. We wait from 4.30 am to 18.30pm in the Airport. The company give us 2 x 15 dollars for eat during the day and a personnal travel voucher of 400 dollars each. Do they buy food one time something in the Airport ??? And one of us live in France so the voucher is not usable. More than 24 hours travel !! And our place were near the toilets, with 8 children around us. The boy behind my seat stamped his feet on my back all the flight. Really Wonder full ! So we are totally unhappy with our travel. Thanks Copa Airlines....

My flight delayed and i misss the connection they send me to orlando no to tampa i have to pay a uber to my house

I upgraded myself to Business Class at the last minute so I had a DREAMS window seat. Seeing as I've never flown Business before everything was novel and fun for me and it made the 7 hour flight much more enjoyable for sure.

Had one staff that was not pleasant. Seems they are stressed with too many people to care for.

I would have liked an opportunity to move to a different seat ( even would have checked in my hand luggage)as I had health issues where I didn't have to clamber over the passenger next to me to for toilet use/ movement [ She was a highly unpleasant neighbor to sit next to]. In addition, I found that my European phone plan had run out of data and so I was not receiving emails from yourselves on airport wifi to be able to check in online and verifications difficult as did not accept the ticket number I had. I asked for an extra blanket but was told there was none. Then I saw other passengers receiving them. I couldn't eat the food and asked for snacks : Stewardess said " on the way" but they did not bring. The best bit was the check in process in Lisbon. Very efficient. However, I did not understand why we had to collect our bags at Washington then go through customs again. It was not explained. I also with my leg and health issue had approximately mile walk to the gate ( which then changed) . There appeared to be no moving walkways or help provided.

The attendant were friendly. I suggest you have a medical attendant on board every flight so that in case someone is sick , he/she will help them.

We had a very long diversion and our food voucher didn’t work because the restaurants were closed

United airlines, mediocre at best. No issues , nothing great . Worked for me

Turbulent taking off & landing to Dulles from Raleigh. Flight from Dulles to Tokyo very good!!

Very nice and clean plane. Transit time between flights was tight though

I love United was disappointed we had a two hour delay, however the Pilot did say safety first.

Since when do I have to pay for my checked bag? I have a United Explorer mileage plus silver card and I was charged for my checked bags. This also is an international flight. So I would like an explanation to be clear before I choose an airline please?

Mostly the experience was good except for the flight changes made by UA which meant longer layover in DC

After we'd boarded , they canceled the flight. The crew didn't even know , we just all received text messages. Then after they deplaned us , AA was just like "too bad, go F your self, we sure ain't gonna help you"

Initial flight was cancelled at the time of arrival to the airport, flight alternative requires switching from direct to flight with a layover, and the plane felt like it would split apart, it was so rattle-y.

Weather delay for 2.5 hours followed by half hour crew delay, did not have ginger ale, uncomfortable seats

It was nobody’s fault - but the plane came 4-hrs late and we were updated randomly in 20-30 mins increments which left us hostage to sit and wait expectantly. It was very long and got very late. Our plane didn’t land until nearly 1 am! Also the toilet wasn’t working. The hosts were nice enough but were clearly “about to pass out” as one told me. Lastly, there was no snack or even time for it. Just a bad experience overall.

When I'm on a 5hr 22 minute flight I expect food to be purchased. Especially when American makes a very tight connection time where u have to run to make the long flight. Chips and nuts are unacceptable and being told you should be in first class to get a meal is also unacceptable. I didn't change the flight times American Airlines did.

The boarding crew was incredibly helpful getting me on an earlier flight

Great experience. Flight boarded easily. Departed early. Smooth flight. Great arrival in DC--almost no taxing! Almost direct to gate from runway. Crew was terrific. Same cookies and beverages in main cabin. I did not use the entertainment system on this flight.

Flight delayed on both ends - have a gate ready at DCA, don't make us sit for 30min after being late to take off as well.

AA can't control the weather. But the airplane was hot and stuffy while stuck on the runway with a broken entertainment system.

very bare bones flight no entertainment screen, download shows prior to boarding to watch on phone or tablet.

The check in is the only positive thing in Avianca. The seat is the most uncomfortable I have traveled, the distance is minimal.

Not what it used to be. The sale of food makes them look greedy!

Avianca is not what it used to be. So disappointing

It was horrible. My experience with Avianca. I didn’t know it was Pakistan international Airlines but anyway, whatever it is it is bad horrible you guys need to upgrade everything in those planes. And you guys charge $130 for a carry-on did they wanna let me in with my carry-on that I travel everywhere with the luggage you guys are such a dog thank you

why did we have to go through security mid flight

The incoming plane was late and no information was shared. They even announced we would board in 10 muntes 40 minutes prior to the plane arriving, and the website said until takeoff that we had taken off an hour earlier

Boarding was excessively slow. They do it by groups in a way that it doesn’t make sense. After business class , ppl that need assistance and any other priority group they should have ppl board from the back to the front. First rows 20+. Then 15+. Then 10, etc. having ppl sitting in the back board last makes no sense. The libe backame long as soon as ppl on rows 10 or so where told to board. The line went all the way up the ramp and tunnel for 25 mins.

Seats are very tight even in Plus, no complimentary snacks or beverage

Flight to Bogotá delayed by 3 h Missed connection from Bogotá to Guayaquil. Avianca unable to bring us to Baltra on time Overall delay 36h. We missed boat departure from galagos. Overall 10 day trip needed to be cancelled. Avianca was completely un-professional.

I receive a service for what I pay, so it is fair.

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