$128 Find Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to California

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Washington, D.C. to California departing on 8/15. 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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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Washington, D.C. to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Washington, D.C. to California.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$245
San Francisco
San Franciscononstop$332
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$298
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$211
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$297
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$369
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$508
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$419
Redding
Redding1 stop$435
Reno
Reno1 stop$287
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$280
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$245
San Francisco
San Franciscononstop$332
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$298
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$211
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$297
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$257
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$369
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$508
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$419
Redding
Redding1 stop$435
Reno
Reno1 stop$287
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$280

Book Cheap Washington, D.C. to California Plane Tickets

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

Tue, Aug 18 - Tue, Aug 25
Frontier Logo
8:17 pm - 6:27 pm
BWI
-
LAX
25h 10m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
3:28 pm - 7:45 am
LAX
-
BWI
13h 17m
1 stop
$245Frontier
Fri, Jul 3 - Mon, Jul 6
Frontier Logo
9:30 pm - 6:02 pm
BWI
-
LAX
23h 32m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:00 pm - 11:59 pm
LAX
-
BWI
21h 59m
1 stop
$248Frontier
Wed, Jul 29 - Tue, Aug 4
Southwest Logo
11:35 am - 5:00 pm
DCA
-
LAX
8h 25m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
9:05 am - 10:20 pm
LAX
-
DCA
10h 15m
2 stops
$253Southwest
Sat, Sep 5 - Sun, Sep 6
Southwest Logo
11:45 am - 5:00 pm
DCA
-
LAX
8h 15m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
11:10 am - 10:00 pm
LAX
-
DCA
7h 50m
1 stop
$256Southwest
Wed, Sep 9 - Tue, Sep 15
United Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 1:58 pm
BWI
-
LAS
8h 58m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 4:28 pm
LAS
-
BWI
7h 28m
1 stop
$257United Airlines
Wed, Aug 12 - Thu, Aug 13
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:59 pm - 9:56 pm
DCA
-
SFO
5h 57mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 8:00 pm
SFO
-
DCA
11h 00m
1 stop
$332Alaska Airlines
Tue, Sep 1 - Sun, Sep 6
American Airlines Logo
6:10 am - 10:07 am
IAD
-
SAN
6h 57m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:19 am - 5:48 pm
SAN
-
IAD
8h 29m
1 stop
$335American Airlines
Sat, Oct 31 - Sat, Oct 31
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 2:40 pm
IAD
-
SAN
10h 40m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:21 pm - 5:40 am
SAN
-
IAD
9h 19m
1 stop
$336Alaska Airlines
Mon, Aug 17 - Sat, Aug 22
American Airlines Logo
6:11 am - 10:29 am
IAD
-
SAN
7h 18m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
10:20 pm - 8:41 am
SAN
-
IAD
7h 21m
1 stop
$337American Airlines
Fri, Sep 4 - Mon, Sep 7
United Airlines Logo
6:52 pm - 9:43 pm
BWI
-
SFO
5h 51mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
12:45 am - 11:45 am
SFO
-
BWI
8h 00m
1 stop
$345United Airlines
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Washington, D.C. to California 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. to California?

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. to California departing in August.

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

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

The cheapest ticket to California from Washington, D.C. found in the last 5 days was to Los Angeles, at $224 round-trip. The most popular route is from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $224.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to California?

The average price for all round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. to California depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $409 on average. Morning departures are around 2% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $679.

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

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 $473, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. to California, 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. to California is September, when tickets cost $366 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $527 and $486 respectively.

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

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

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

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

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. to California, 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. to California, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 42% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 17 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$128
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 11% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 10% increase in price.
Flight from Baltimore to Las Vegas

Flights from Washington, D.C. to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Washington, D.C. to California 
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
DCA
-
SAN
Feb 2026
DCA only has a few flights to other coast. IAD has many. If something goes wrong you’ll have more options flying out of IAD.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
DCA
-
SFO
Jan 2025
Reserve your plane seat & bring something to eat in the plane.
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.
RebeccaFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
SAN
Sep 2024
Get something to eat in the airport, just in case there is no food onboard.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines
DCA
-
LAX
Jul 2024
Easy access via metro, and by car with parking available walking distance from the terminal. Lots of seating and dining options near the flight boarding gates.
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.
BillFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
LAX
Jun 2024
At Dulles, you can spend 30 minutes getting to your AFTER clearing TSA
DeniseFlew with Alaska Airlines
IAD
-
SFO
May 2024
Bring your own device. No screens on the seatbacks.

FAQs - booking California flights

  • What are some of the ways to get from the center of Washington, D.C., to Washington Dulles International Airport?

    Several transportation options connect the center of Washington, D.C., to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Silver Line Train provides a direct connection to the airport from Farragut West that takes about 50 minutes. There are also two private bus companies that offer service direct service to the airport within about 1 hour, depending on traffic conditions. If you plan to utilize a taxi or rideshare vehicle, you can expect a trip time of about 35 minutes, depending on traffic.

  • Do any airlines allow children to fly alone from Washington, D.C., to California?

    Alaska Airlines prioritizes the well-being of young travelers through its Unaccompanied Minor program. Tailored to children aged 5 to 17 traveling alone, the service ensures a safe and supportive journey. Trained staff assists with check-in, provides in-flight support, and ensures a secure handover at the destination. Parents or guardians receive regular updates for added peace of mind. Alaska Airlines' commitment to family-friendly travel is evident in its reliable and caring UM program, offering a positive experience for young passengers flying solo.

  • What are some ways I can get from Washington, D.C., to the Monterey Peninsula in California?

    You will find that there are plenty of one-stop flight options to get you to this beautiful part of the world quickly. American Airlines offers a one-stop flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) with a layover at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), while United Airlines offers a flight from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Monterey Regional Airport with a layover at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

  • What are some benefits of upgrading to business class on United Airlines?

    Upgrading to Business Class on United Airlines flights from Washington, D.C., to California unlocks a host of premium benefits. Passengers experience elevated comfort with spacious seating and potential lie-flat beds for optimal rest. Gourmet dining, fine wines, and personalized service enhance the in-flight experience. Priority services, including check-in and boarding, coupled with increased baggage allowances, ensure a seamless journey. 

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

    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, D.C. to California.

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

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

    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 from Washington, D.C. to California with an airline and back with another airline.

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

    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 from Washington, D.C. to California up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • One of the quickest trips you can make from Washington, D.C., to California is on one of the nonstop flights offered by both United Airlines and Alaska Airlines from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
  • The most convenient airport for travelers in the center of Washington, D.C., is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). It is situated in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, D.C. Its accessibility and efficient transportation options, including Metro rail service, make it a popular gateway for those departing from the nation's capital.
  • If you will be traveling aboard United Airlines from Washington Dulles International Airport, you should know that this airline offers five of its lounge locations at this airport. Four of the lounges are in Concourse C, while the other one is in Concourse D.
  • If your final destination in California is San Francisco, one of the quickest ways to make the trip is to take one of the nonstop flights available aboard United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, or Frontier Airlines from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
  • If you want to make a trip to the beautiful southern California city of San Diego, the quickest way to get there is to take nonstop flights available aboard American Airlines, United Airlines, or Alaska Airlines from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport (SAN).

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Washington, D.C. to California. 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 Washington, D.C. to California? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4256 reviews
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

4.0 OkayAnonymous, May 2026
MDW - LAX
Read more Southwest reviews

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

No gluten free snacks. Seats felt worn or bare bones even though it was a new 737 MAX 8.

Plane was clean and comfortable. Flight attendants and gate staff were professional, friendly and efficient. Boarding and deplaning were orderly and efficient. All in all, the typical excellent Southwest experience.

Not having a five hour delay with little notice! The crew was very kind, though, and just as tired as we passengers were. The flight didn't depart until nearly 1 am...and no reason was ever given.

This leg was much better, but we did have to have a 3 hour lay o er after coming from a very exhausting hiccup with our flight from BNA to Den

The Air hostess were very rude on my flight from Houston to Austin . Their regular communication itself felt a they are shouting at people.

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

No food or entertainment, just a quick 40 minute flight. A little bumpy due to Santa Ana winds but pilot has no control over that. Good flight and landing!

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

It departed an hour and a half late because the crew got in late the previous night due to weather related problems. So we got into LA later than anticipated and traffic was much worse.

Good. I didn’t order food and there was no entertainment available.

It was not a good experience, the flight was delayed 3 hours, the gate staff were super pushy to get bags checked claiming it was a full flight, there were about a dozen open seats from what I could tell. The intercom from the pilot seemed to be broken, it sounded like the pilot was speaking with a mouth full of marbles.

The food was terrible, worse that what you get with UA, an already one of the lowest standards to beat. How cheap one could be, providing that kind of junk food in first class. Unbelievable! The seats were not very comfortable either. And there were no screens either, not that I cared much but for you to know.

The aircraft was extremely warm the entire flight. After we landed we were stuck on the plane for another 45 minutes without a gate to deboard from. The smell of exhaust from the engines in the cabin along with the heat inside the cabin made the flight uncomfortable.

Flight cancelled and deplaned. Rescheduled 8 hours later at a different airport. Ended up at destination but late.

The seats are very small. I’m 5’ 3”, so don’t think I should notice. The food selection was non existent and very disappointing. 5 hour flight plus TSA, etc. I would have appreciated a small salad, crudités. Something fresher not just chips.

We appreciated that the flight attendant came through 3 times with drinks or water on the long flight..I was also glad that they were separating out recycling! I would have liked a 12oz sofa can instead of 7oz, but that's a minor quibble. The knee space in economy was also better than most of Alaska's competitors.

I liked the free snacks and drink. I liked the onboard entertainment. I did not like the WiFi cutting out in middle of my movie.

Flight from LAX to STS das excellent. Flight from DCA to LAX was troubled by the previous flight returning to the one DCA gate putting our flight in jeopardy. However another gate was arranged and that flight was a bit late, but was handled exceptionally.

Our flight was canceled same day and we were never informed. Had to pay more and worse seating on another airline.

Did not like that we couldn't complete check in on-line without providing pictures of our passports. Worry about identity theft. We had no delays and boarding was handled In an efficient manner.

Excellent! I got to Munich and was transferred to my Lufthansa flight quickly, in 15 to 20 minutes, so I did not miss my flight. However, I had checked my overhead bag at the boarding gate in Tampa. That got to Tunis the next day. That is to be expected.

WiFi didn’t exist , seats were super cramped, lights stayed on near my seat for a long time while others were dimmed, the food/trash/drink cart hit my shoulder at least a couple of times while moving, food options were down to just one option by the time it got to my row, the utensils were garbage (knife bent at a couple of places by the time I was done eating) the spoon was very flimsy plastic

Vegetarian selection could be better. Bread was too hard to chew.

Crew was friendly and competent. Food, wine, and entertainment were excellent except the raw tuna on the flight to Split. Recommend against serving that - at least as the only option. Many medical conditions do not allow people to eat raw fish.

After arriving in Chicago, we were taxiing for 1.5 hours with infrequent and untruthful updates about the amount of time it would take to arrive at the gate. Minimally, the team could have provided timing expectations that were more truthful, especially one their original expectations were not met.

United didn’t even try to hold the flight for me. They knew I had a tight connection and when I arrived at the gate less than 10 mins after final boarding the flight had already gone. The gate agent wasn’t even notified that I was on my way. She was told I wasn’t at the airport

Good quick flight on a small but comfortable plane. I'm 6'3 and had plenty of space.

The flight was delayed so we were dead tired, and after that the turbulence was horrible. I was very scared.

The small flights with Valet Luggage has a poor service

Overall a good experience, however Wifi was not working on the flight.

THe flight was an hour late. You got us on the plan and we sat on the ground for 45 minutes with no information from the pilot whatsoever. Worst flight this year.

Going non stop to lax like I paid for. Not stopping in MCI for gas. Too long of delays

Human interaction. Thought there would be more service-even a smile would have been nice.

Incoming flight was delayed, delaying boarding. It then took 30 mins to take off. Took 20 mins to get to a gate because they changed the gate last minute, crew weren’t ready so there was no one staffed to work the jet bridge. Boarding was so disorganized as is usual with American because everyone just stands around the gate regardless of boarding group.

Delays with no explanation. It could have been handled better.

Flight delay for mechanical. Inbound arrived on time. No one said why mechanical delay.

Flight boarded, departed and landed on time. Excellent service from flight attendant in FIRST

This was one of the most frustrating travel experiences I've had to date. I had changed my flight day of to this one as it was slated to depart on time. It ended up being so delayed that my original flight took off before this one did. The boarding process began but eventually stopped and everyone had to get off the plane as a problem was identified. The person at the front desk just tried to laugh it off as if this wasn't already a huge inconvenience. From there, we eventually got to board only to sit at the gate for an additional hour because of some additional issue. This was extremely frustrating and caused a lot of stress.

There weren't enough employees at check in took awhile to get bags checked. There wasn't a wheel chair for me, I was sent to someone who turns out to work for a different airline, if My flight hadn't been delayed I probably would have missed my flight as it was, by the time I arrived at my gate, they started boarding in about 15 minutes. I don't know who took me to my gate, definitely was not the normal people who take passengers to the gate. I'm guessing she may have been in a management position. I wish I knew her name, she went beyond to help me. With that said everyone was kind, and were doing the best they could. So, I choose to say it was an Adventure, stressful start, but good. In the end went well. The situation was not only difficult for passengers but the employee's.

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

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 Washington, D.C. to California

Cabin class types available on flights to California

Cabin classes available on flights to California. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.