IAD - SFO

$182 Find Cheap Flights from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Dulles Intl to San Francisco departing on 8/30. 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

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$375
Typical prices: $313-$567
Frontier
Mon 8/10Wed 8/12
IAD - SFO • 2 stops
Cheapest non-stop
$392
Typical prices: $397-$612
United Airlines
Sat 8/22Fri 8/28
IAD - SFO • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts and KAYAK users. AI can make mistakes.
United Economy Plus adds up to 6 inches more legroom than standard economy.
Alaska Premium Class adds priority boarding; bring a device for entertainment.
Expert advice
Expert advice
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Expert advice
Expert advice
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Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with United Airlines. Average duration is 5h 46m
Direct flights
Direct flights
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Direct flights
Direct flights
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Avoid delays
Most punctual • 83% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
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Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $332 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 8h 20m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 56% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
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Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 20% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Dulles Intl to San Francisco (IAD-SFO)

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

Mon, Aug 10 - Wed, Aug 12
Frontier Logo
12:28 pm - 10:25 am
IAD
-
SFO
24h 57m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
4:30 pm - 8:20 am
SFO
-
IAD
12h 50m
1 stop
$375Frontier
Fri, Aug 14 - Mon, Aug 17
Frontier Logo
9:50 am - 4:36 pm
IAD
-
SFO
9h 46m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
9:05 pm - 8:04 am
SFO
-
IAD
7h 59m
1 stop
$376Frontier
Tue, Aug 25 - Sat, Aug 29
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:35 pm - 8:46 am
IAD
-
SFO
16h 11m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:08 am - 6:14 pm
SFO
-
IAD
8h 06m
1 stop
$377Alaska Airlines
Sat, Aug 15 - Sat, Aug 22
American Airlines Logo
6:17 am - 11:28 am
IAD
-
SFO
8h 11m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
5:05 am - 5:04 pm
SFO
-
IAD
8h 59m
1 stop
$378American Airlines
Tue, Aug 4 - Fri, Aug 7
Frontier Logo
7:49 am - 7:18 pm
IAD
-
SFO
14h 29m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:05 pm - 4:34 pm
SFO
-
IAD
14h 29m
1 stop
$379Frontier
Fri, Aug 7 - Mon, Aug 10
Frontier Logo
7:48 am - 7:13 pm
IAD
-
SFO
14h 25m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
9:05 pm - 8:20 am
SFO
-
IAD
8h 15m
1 stop
$380Frontier
Wed, Aug 5 - Thu, Aug 13
Frontier Logo
7:48 am - 7:13 pm
IAD
-
SFO
14h 25m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
9:05 pm - 8:20 am
SFO
-
IAD
8h 15m
1 stop
$381Frontier
Wed, Aug 5 - Mon, Aug 10
Frontier Logo
9:50 am - 3:20 pm
IAD
-
SFO
8h 30m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
12:54 am - 4:40 pm
SFO
-
IAD
12h 46m
2 stops
$382Frontier
Thu, Aug 6 - Mon, Aug 17
Frontier Logo
7:48 am - 7:13 pm
IAD
-
SFO
14h 25m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:04 pm - 10:07 am
SFO
-
IAD
13h 03m
2 stops
$383Frontier
Mon, Aug 3 - Thu, Aug 20
Frontier Logo
9:50 am - 4:41 pm
IAD
-
SFO
9h 51m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:56 pm - 8:04 am
SFO
-
IAD
8h 08m
1 stop
$384Frontier
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Dulles Intl to San Francisco flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco?

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

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

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

For Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Monday is the most expensive. Flying from San Francisco back to Washington Dulles Airport, the best deals are generally found on Wednesday, with Sunday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco, 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 Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco is February, where tickets cost $373 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $598 and $554 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco?

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 $442, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco, 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 Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 56% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Dulles Intl to San Francisco

 
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.

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on Alaska Airlines

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SFO

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Good to know

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

$182
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 20% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 28% increase in price.
Flight from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco

When to book flights from Dulles Intl to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Dulles Intl to San Francisco 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.

Flights from Dulles Intl to San Francisco: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Dulles Intl to San Francisco 
PhallyFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
SFO
Oct 2024
Don't take too much stuff. Make sure to have the necessary documents or boarding pass ready.
NoamFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
SFO
Aug 2024
Flying to the Ronald Reagan airport is closer and faster to D.C. than the Dulles airport.
DeniseFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
SFO
May 2024
Bring your own device. No screens on the seatbacks.

FAQs for booking Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco flights

  • Does IAD have a pet relief area?

    If you’re traveling with your pet to SFO, at IAD, you can visit the designated pet relief airports present at the airport. The pet relief areas are located at Door 16 near the United Airlines counter, Door 1 near Carousel 1, and Gates D1 and A32.

  • Does IAD have smoking lounges?

    If you’d like to smoke at IAD, you should know that IAD does not permit smoking within its terminals. To smoke at this airport, you must head to one of its smoking lounges. The said smoking lounges are near Gates B37, C2, and D30.

  • Where are the baby care facilities at SFO?

    SFO has four baby care facilities. Terminals 1 and 3 have baby care facilities on their Airside, while Terminal 2 has baby care facilities on both its Airside and Landside. At any, you can breastfeed your baby privately and comfortably.

  • Where can I eat in SFO?

    If you’re hungry, you can grab a drink or a small bite at Briggo Coffee Haus near gate F3 in Terminal 3, Roasting Plant Coffee in Boarding Area A in the International Terminal, and Green Beans Coffee in Terminal 1C.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco was $182 for a one-way ticket and $373 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Washington Dulles Airport and San Francisco?

    A passport is not required to fly from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    Washington Dulles Airport and San Francisco are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Washington Dulles Airport from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl and will be arriving at San Francisco.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, and American Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 9 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Washington Dulles Airport and San Francisco, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    There are nonstop flights from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco on a daily basis.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco are Alaska Airlines and Delta. With an average price for the route of $474 and an overall rating of 7.9, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $422 and an overall rating of 7.8.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    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 Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Washington Dulles Airport 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 Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San Francisco with an airline and back to Washington Dulles Airport with another airline. Booking your flights between Washington Dulles Airport and SFO 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 Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San Francisco from Washington Dulles Airport 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 Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport to San Francisco

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $314 or less one-way and $528 or less round-trip.
  • Washington is home to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), and Dulles International Airport (IAD). Only IAD offers flights to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) among the three. Thus, you’ll have to head to IAD to board your flight to San Francisco.
  • The means of travel you use to travel to IAD will depend on how quickly you want to get to the airport and how much you can afford as fare. If you want to get to this airport quickly, you should catch a taxi, whereas if you’d like to travel economically to the airport, you should travel by bus. The metro trains that serve the station are a little slower than the taxis and a bit more expensive than the buses. As this is the case, if you’d like to balance the cost and speed of your journey to IAD, you should board a train.
  • Before entering IAD, one must go through several security checkpoints. These checkpoints are usually characterized by long queues. Because of the queues, these checkpoints usually take a lot of time to clear. On numerous occasions, passengers have missed their flights at IAD after being unable to go through the airport’s security checkpoints in time. To avoid such a fate, on your departure date to SFO, you should reach IAD at least 1h 30min before your flight so that you have enough time to go through the checkpoints.
  • At SFO, if you’d like to charge your phone, you can do so at one of the power outlets spread across the airport for free. However, these outlets charge phones slowly. If you’re willing to pay a small fee to charge your phone quickly, you can visit the quick-charge stations near Gate 23 in Terminal 1, near Gate 61 in Terminal 2, and Gate 87 in Terminal 3.
  • If you require medical assistance while at SFO, visit the SFO Medical Clinic on the Boarding Area A side of the International Terminal. On Monday to Friday, it is normally open from 7 am to 7 pm, while on Saturdays, it is usually open from 9 am to 4 pm.

Prefer to fly direct from Washington Dulles Airport to San Francisco?

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

Direct departures

Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl to San Francisco

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Everything you need to know for your flight from Dulles Intl to San Francisco

Information on your arrival and departure airports