$62 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 7/1. 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

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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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Best California Flight Deals from Washington, D.C.

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angelesnonstop$110
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$230
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$191
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$172
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$244
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$250
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$325
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$269
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$304
Redding
Redding1 stop$543
Reno
Reno2 stops$257
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$204
Los Angeles
Los Angelesnonstop$110
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$230
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$191
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$172
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$244
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$250
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$325
Bakersfield
Bakersfield1 stop$269
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$304
Redding
Redding1 stop$543
Reno
Reno2 stops$257
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$204

Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to California

 
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 12 - Tue, Aug 19
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:22 pm - 9:19 pmBWI-LAX
5h 57mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:59 pm - 9:02 pmLAX-BWI
5h 03mnonstop
$110Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 9 - Thu, Sep 18
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:26 am - 9:00 amBWI-LAX
5h 34mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:59 pm - 9:02 pmLAX-BWI
5h 03mnonstop
$111Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Aug 4 - Thu, Aug 7
Frontier Logo
7:30 am - 9:29 amIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
Frontier Logo
11:00 pm - 6:34 amLAS-IAD
4h 34mnonstop
$145Frontier
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 8 - Fri, Jul 11
Frontier Logo
7:30 am - 9:29 amIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
Frontier Logo
11:00 pm - 6:34 amLAS-IAD
4h 34mnonstop
$146Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 13 - Fri, Sep 19
United Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 9:58 pmIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
10:45 pm - 6:20 amLAS-IAD
4h 35mnonstop
$159United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 23 - Sat, Sep 27
American Airlines Logo
9:30 am - 11:37 amDCA-LAS
5h 07mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
12:09 pm - 7:59 pmLAS-DCA
4h 50mnonstop
$159American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 8 - Sat, Jul 12
United Airlines Logo
10:10 pm - 12:14 amIAD-LAS
5h 04mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
8:30 am - 4:07 pmLAS-IAD
4h 37mnonstop
$169United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 8 - Tue, Jul 15
American Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 11:12 amDCA-LAS
5h 12mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
12:02 pm - 7:54 pmLAS-DCA
4h 52mnonstop
$169American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 26 - Tue, Sep 9
Alaska Airlines Logo
8:59 am - 11:28 amDCA-LAX
5h 29mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:47 pm - 8:59 pmLAX-DCA
5h 12mnonstop
$181Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Aug 11 - Thu, Aug 14
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:25 pm - 10:59 pmIAD-LAS
8h 34m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
8:30 am - 7:19 pmLAS-IAD
7h 49m1 stop
$201Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Useful Info

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.

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

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. to California.

The cheapest ticket to California from Washington, D.C. found in the last 72 hours was to Los Angeles, at $109 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 72 hours was $215.

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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 2 stops layover the cheapest option at $801 on average.

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 $307 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $486 and $397 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 Sunday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from California, Tuesday 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 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 5 weeks before departure.


Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight$62
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 4% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 24% 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 AirlinesDCA-SFOJan 2025
Reserve your plane seat & bring something to eat in the plane.
RebeccaFlew with Alaska AirlinesIAD-SANSep 2024
Get something to eat in the airport, just in case there is no food onboard.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska AirlinesDCA-LAXJul 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 AirlinesIAD-SFOAug 2024
Flying to the Ronald Reagan airport is closer and faster to D.C. than the Dulles airport.
BillFlew with Alaska AirlinesIAD-LAXJun 2024
At Dulles, you can spend 30 minutes getting to your AFTER clearing TSA
DeniseFlew with Alaska AirlinesIAD-SFOMay 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.

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

    The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally in the afternoon, when round-trip flights cost $215 on average. Morning departures are around 10% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $437.

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).

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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 10000 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.1Food
8.5Crew
7.8Comfort
7.1Entertainment
Airline reviews

Horrible! No blanket or pillow available! We had bulkhead seats but the seats were worn out and no cushion old. No meal or even a sandwich for our 5 hour flight just a little bag of pretzels. Crabby attendant female with long brown hair. We will not book Alaska Airlines again

4.0 OkayAnonymous, Jun 2025KOA - SAN
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Horrible! No blanket or pillow available! We had bulkhead seats but the seats were worn out and no cushion old. No meal or even a sandwich for our 5 hour flight just a little bag of pretzels. Crabby attendant female with long brown hair. We will not book Alaska Airlines again

On time, smooth take off and landing, efficient boarding. Gate staff excellent, stewardess grumpy, but civil enough.

No WiFi available. It was too late to order food also. Guy next to me was huge (not fat) so had his shoulder & thigh next to me the whole way. Plane was delayed leaving PDX due to 8 other planes waiting. Not my best Alaska airlines flight.

I do wish the the actual airplane I flew on was bigger. But, I made it work.

It is very bad they do not give you money back

always delayed. toilet is too stinky worse than smells in sf homeless distriction

It was too cold for the first quarter of the flight.

I loved that we boarded orderly and quickly, that I had an opportunity to check my bag free at the gate, that there was plenty of seat/leg room, there was smooth takeoff and landing, the attendants were pleasant and helpful, and that we arrived on time!!

The only problem was the time delay. Kudos to the counter agent in Seattle. Very helpful and gracious.

Check in, they should have told me that upon arrival i needed to exit the secure area and re-check in with Eva Air. I wasn't sure what to do upon arrival at S.F.

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

Great experience…left a bit behind schedule but made up fir that in the air and landed 10 minutes early 😁

United out of SFO is having issues with catering so none of our meals were loaded on the plane and no offer of compensation for our tickets purchased was offered.

I fly UAL 7-8 times per year. This flight was not up to snuff because it boarded very late "due to unexpected delays in restocking the plane" and yet Flight Aware showed the plane had landed some 10 hours earlier--so I think they could have planned accordingly. The FA's were nice but harried. The video system had to be rebooted 3-4 times. The food service was rather abrupt; they forgot my row and when I asked for my meal, they brought it with some impatience. Overall, the flight was fine, but the little details made it feel somewhat mundane and hurried.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

I didn’t get on plane. Passport being processed by consulate with visa application. Tried to cancel through underpricer after purchasing cacelling for any reason. No dice, they are thieves.

When I booked it on Kayak it aaid that I wasn't allowed hamd luggage. I called United Airlines and it took them 6 minutes to figure out if I was allowed free hand luggage. Surely something that simple they should be able to tell me instantly.

The gate was too far away for the connecting flight

Generally good. The aisles have gotten narrower which can slow down boarding. Flight crew was great! Healthier complimentary snacks would be appreciated. Due to earthquake in San Francisco we had to circle in air space for a bit but then had a smooth landing. I laud the flight crew for their patience ;)

We were delayed in Toronto on the tarmac for THREE hours with no clear indication as to why except that it was not a safety hazard. Pilot did apologize more than once but even he was unable to explain why exactly we were delayed. I overheard the stewards saying that the captain was very frustrated with the situation as well because he was not able to explain why except it had something to do with water supply or system on the aircraft and now we needed to wait for an engineer to approve the aircraft for flight. It was very frustrating and distressing as a passenger and we should have been given complimentary meals at the very least.

Honestly, I haven’t flown American in years, probably due to the pandemic and my being unable to travel for certain periods in the last two years, but it was a good experience to dig out or obtain a new American Airlines account after many years of traveling for business with American in the past.

Long 5 hour and 45 min flight and only one drink service and cookie snack

Pitch was very small. Knees were on the seat back in front of me.

Wonderful as usual except for other guests that were unruly and not kept in check by the Crew.

The flight was initially delayed, then cancelled. American Airlines says the cancellation was weather related, though the actual weather was not bad in both Washington and Providence and between. There were very few cancellations that day. In fact, AA2120 from Washington, DC to Boston flew with a minor delay at about the same time. So, the weather somehow affected only this particular flight AA5230. The next available flight was the following morning. The American Airlines refused to reimburse accommodation (hotel at DCA)

One bottle of water and a package of cookies for comfort plus. We had to literally beg a flight attendant for an extra bottle of water later in the flight due to feeling dehydrated.

Fine. On time, cabin service was fine, bag arrived. All good. Flying into DCA so did not collide with any helicopters, which is also good. Horrid incident that could have and should have been prevented.

Good experience but the snacks are not gluten free, so I cannot eat them.

Flight boarded from Gate 39 at OGG, the farthest gate in the terminal. There were no Hawaiian themed amenities for the flight. The first class service was mediocre at best; I received not special welcome or recognition as an executive platinum member of American Advantage program. The flight attendants were more concerned with their cell phones than saying "thank you" to the passengers as we disembarked. Fortunately, the flight arrived at LAX a few minutes early.

Standard. No different than a discount carrier on a short trip.

Boarding was a breeze, however, two of the flights that I boarded with Spirit did not have Wi-Fi available.

Very good. Nothing more or less than expected. No complaints.

My experience with the spirit as a first time it was OK, but the seats need a little cushion, the problem I had the most impacted me was when checking in the scales were so off and wrong. It will tell that you would have more weight, which was not true. The scale was say that it had Thirty Eight Pounds, when get in the labels when we send the luggage into the band. It says that it was overweight. I really really dislike that because the scales are not accurate. If I use Spirit and I have that issue again. That will be my last time flying with the spirit, even though I like so much to service the planes, and everything else

hahaha we are delayed for one hour plus.. but thx we arrived San Diego safe

Worst airline ever! The guy weighing my bag had his foot on the metal plate and when I called him out on it, I got this stupid little smirk. La is a scam and so is Spirit Airlines. All the flight attendants looked like they hated our flight just as much as we did.

Unclear pricing; ended up being charged an extra $52 just to get onboard

Spirit is awful. Too expensive for what you get. Stop nickel and diming.

would be great to get basic water, soda at least and stop charging for carry ons

Your crew is a representation of your Standards and Values. The crew from Seattle to LAX, was very disappointing. The crew was more interested in hanging out at the lobby area. Talking, laughing loudly and eating all the snacks. They did not do regular rounds to see if customers needed anything. This was a huge disappointment. I will no longer be flying with your airlines moving forward.

- flight attendants not very friendly. - Paid for WiFi and plane didn’t have it working , never got a refund.

Book with frontier airlines with the mentality that they'll cancel your flight, kick you off and lose your luggage. Anything besides that is a win. Compare prices with other airlines (to include luggage) and if frontier is still worth it, book it but know all of their policies.

You get what you pay for nothing essentially but a hard uncomfortable seat that doesn’t recline and kids screaming all around you and chaotic boarding and limited check bag weight allowance when compared to other airlines

I never got to experience the flight because they delayed my first flight and I missed this one. Then Frontier didn't want to help me rebook a flight to get me to my final destination.

The Boarding process in Denver was chaotic, and since the line was so long, we were lined up very far from the gate. If there were any announcements from the gate staff, we didn't hear them. The flight attendants were spectacular. The only negative part of the flight was sitting by a 2 1/2 year old who was unruly and unfortunately had parents that matched his behaviors. Also, the restaurants in Denver on the E concourse, they didn't have food (passengers could only order 1 item on the entire menu) or the restaurants had 12-14 people waiting for orders to be prepared and another 6 people waiting to order. If you have a layover in Denver and need to grab food, be prepared to visit the shops with pre-packaged sandwiches, or you can visit another concourse but it may take a while to transit throughout the airport.

I liked the turn-style feature at gate 209B at LAX. Very efficient process. The gate staff also made several, clearly directed announcements so I felt very informed.

Although an hour and a half early was told by staff at check in they had overbooked and could not check us in for the flight.

The crew was delayed because they came on another flight that was delayed due to weather 10pm flight left at 1.30 am The airline made no effort to align alternate crew

Plane was down graded and I lost my uncharged exit row with more leg room. No mention or offer of refund from podium. Flight attendant was nice to explain this happens often and that I could request a refund via online form submission. I did this and have heard nothing back.

Horrendous. I do not recommend Frontier. The passengers lack manners and decency, and the flight attendants lack professionalism. If I wasn’t in a bind to fly with 48 hours notice for a job interview, I would not have selected a flight with Frontier and I never plan to fly with them in the future.

The seats were hard molded plastic covered in plastic vinyl. And the scam to charge people extra to sit together. Don’t they know we can just ask someone to trade seats. And watching the staff separate young children from parents… super classy. We had to guilt them into offering up our seats. This companies policies suck. Don’t give them your money.

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.

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