SJO - WAS

$106 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 12/9. 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..
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.

Fri, Nov 14 - Wed, Nov 19
Spirit Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 11:07 pmSJO-BWI
8h 37m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:20 am - 12:25 pmBWI-SJO
7h 05m1 stop
$183Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Jan 28
Spirit Airlines Logo
1:31 pm - 11:45 pmSJO-BWI
9h 14m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:10 am - 12:14 pmBWI-SJO
8h 04m1 stop
$206Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 10 - Sun, Feb 1
United Airlines Logo
8:45 am - 10:15 pmSJO-IAD
12h 30m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:20 am - 12:56 pmIAD-SJO
29h 36m1 stop
$217United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Dec 9 - Mon, Feb 2
United Airlines Logo
11:28 pm - 1:50 pmSJO-BWI
13h 22m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
12:25 pm - 8:39 pmBWI-SJO
9h 14m1 stop
$217United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Dec 13 - Tue, Mar 31
Avianca Logo
3:05 pm - 1:40 amSJO-IAD
9h 35m1 stop
Avianca Logo
5:05 pm - 11:35 pmIAD-SJO
8h 30m1 stop
$218Avianca
Find Deal
Mon, Nov 24 - Sat, Dec 6
Avianca Logo
7:50 pm - 3:10 amSJO-IAD
6h 20m1 stop
Avianca Logo
11:55 pm - 3:50 amIAD-SJO
4h 55mnonstop
$220Avianca
Find Deal
Tue, Dec 16 - Tue, Jan 13
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 11:08 pmSJO-IAD
16h 08m2 stops
American Airlines Logo
11:34 am - 10:30 pmIAD-SJO
11h 56m2 stops
$230American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Jan 15 - Thu, Jan 22
American Airlines Logo
4:01 pm - 9:19 amSJO-BWI
16h 18m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
10:09 am - 7:44 pmBWI-SJO
10h 35m1 stop
$230American Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Nov 9 - Sat, Nov 15
Copa Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 3:22 amSJO-IAD
8h 32m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
1:13 am - 9:05 amIAD-SJO
8h 52m1 stop
$275Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Nov 25 - Mon, Dec 1
Copa Airlines Logo
4:08 am - 2:09 pmSJO-BWI
9h 01m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
3:38 pm - 7:10 amBWI-SJO
16h 32m1 stop
$288Copa Airlines
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Our travelers' advice
AI-generated summary based on content written by travel experts
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
Spirit Airlines
Cheapest • from $183 (round-trip)
Delta
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
SJO-IAD
Cheapest • 76% average savings
SJO-IAD
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 12% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
October
Cheapest • 17% price drop
December
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 José to Washington, D.C. 5 days a week: Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun.
Direct flights
Direct flights
Direct flights
Direct flights
Cheapest round-trip
$183
Overall average: $389
Spirit Airlines
Fri 11/14Wed 11/19
SJO - BWI • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$222
Typical prices: $248-$583
Avianca
Tue 1/13Mon 1/19
SJO - IAD • Non-stop
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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 Washington, D.C.!
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 November.

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 $229 on the route between San José (SJO) and Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD). Over the past month, this route was, on average, 76% 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 October, where tickets cost $252 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $366 and $353 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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop layover the cheapest option at $272 on average.

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 12% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 14 weeks before departure.

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

Good to know

Low seasonAugust
Cheapest flight$106
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 5% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 20% 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 $106 for a one-way ticket and $183 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.?

    Iberia, and Air Canada 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.?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between San José and Washington, D.C., with SkyTeam 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 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to Washington, D.C. are Delta and Copa Airlines. With an average price for the route of $259 and an overall rating of 7.9, Delta is the most popular choice. Copa Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $320 and an overall rating of 7.6.

  • 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 $212 or less one-way and $445 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from San José to Washington, D.C.?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Washington, D.C..
Find which airlines fly direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport to Washington, D.C., which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Washington, D.C.

Monday

Avianca

Avianca

Tuesday

Avianca

Avianca

Thursday

Avianca

Avianca

Saturday

Avianca, United Airlines

Avianca, United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Washington, D.C. to San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Monday

Avianca

Avianca

Tuesday

Avianca

Avianca

Thursday

Avianca

Avianca

Saturday

United Airlines, Avianca

United Airlines, Avianca

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

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.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 7999 reviews
8.5Crew
7.9Entertainment
7.3Food
7.9Comfort
8.2Boarding
Airline reviews

I truly love flying with Delta. They have always treated me with the upmost respect

10.0 ExcellentMAYRA, Nov 2025JFK - MIA
Read more Delta reviews

I truly love flying with Delta. They have always treated me with the upmost respect

Our flight attendant in FIRST CLASS was one of the worst I’ve ever had. She was not at all pleasant, nor particularly good at her service.

Everything went well and was good. Nothing exceptional, but no complaints either. Cheap seats are pretty comfortable.

DELTA does a terrific job making sure you are well taken care of during the flight, gives you assurance before the flight through numerous email notifications about your upcoming flight & lastly good follow up after the flight making sure your needs were mat. It has been, is & will continue to be my carrier of choice in all my future travels. Good Job DELTA

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.

They ended up paying for the bag twice, but the counter wouldn't take my baggage receipt. Left it to me to resolve. Not sure how to resolve the issue.

The customer service before board was very rude and when I expressed my concerns about making the connecting flight she laughed and told me I bought the wrong ticket. I explained once it showed the flight was delayed it no longer let me change seats or anything. I was trying to upgrade to make sure I would get to the next gate on time.

Non stop on long haul is the way to go. Great experience

Seats comfortable, service and food very mediocre, staff not very attentive, worse than many other our flights with Delta.

Overall good experience; however, there was one flight attendant who was rather rough compared to everyone else. Everything else was good: entertainment, food. Delta keeps on delivering! Thank you!

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

Simply as follows:- First, there was no vegetarian option for the meal Second, only 2 washrooms for the entire economy class.

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.

Crew was dismissive. Snacks and refills not offered. Poor business class experience. Bed not comfortable compared to Emirates or BA.

Flight was delayed for 5 hours because crew didn’t have enough time to rest - this seems like it could have been avoided with better scheduling. Food was not good.

IAD with the archaic people movers is just a place to be avoided.

Overall, it was good. I was seating next to a wonderful lady and did not notice how time flew. Thanks

This is the best united airlines flight that I took. The crew was very friendly and the food was tasty!

It is clear that someone knew, and competent, is in charge of food at United Airlines at least for the international flights. I was flying in coach, but the choices of the dinner were excellent. Tasty, and appropriate size. I had the beef, which was a little bit like a shepherds pie, and it was good. Nothing comparable has been served on a United flight in years. It will not be confused with three star food, but it is very good for airline food. Even better was the breakfast choice between a cinnamon roll and a breakfast sandwich. I chose the breakfast sandwich which was absolutely delicious and which I would happily order again at my local Starbucks or Panera. It is clear that someone knew indifferent is in charge of the food and it’s about time.

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

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.

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 seats were uncomfortable and barely reclined at all. Very little leg room despite being business class. The crew was friendly and the food was good. Had to use my own phone for in-flight entertainment.

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.

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

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