$64 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 12/3. 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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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 Angelesnonstop$101
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$265
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$218
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$176
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$167
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$243
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$337
Bakersfield
Bakersfield2 stops$246
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$404
Redding
Redding1 stop$372
Reno
Reno1 stop$200
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$161
Los Angeles
Los Angelesnonstop$101
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$265
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$218
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$176
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$167
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$243
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$337
Bakersfield
Bakersfield2 stops$246
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$404
Redding
Redding1 stop$372
Reno
Reno1 stop$200
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$161

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

mié., nov. 5 - mié., nov. 19
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:26 pm - 11:15 pmBWI-LAX
5h 49mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 5:06 amLAX-BWI
5h 06mnonstop
$101Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
mié., oct. 1 - dom., oct. 5
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 8:31 amBWI-LAX
5h 46mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
10:34 pm - 6:35 amLAX-BWI
5h 01mnonstop
$102Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
vie., sep. 5 - sáb., sep. 6
Frontier Logo
6:27 pm - 12:27 amBWI-LAX
9h 00m1 stop
Frontier Logo
1:16 pm - 12:06 amLAX-BWI
7h 50m1 stop
$128Frontier
Find Deal
mié., sep. 10 - sáb., sep. 13
Frontier Logo
4:24 pm - 8:42 amBWI-LAX
19h 18m1 stop
Frontier Logo
1:16 pm - 12:06 amLAX-BWI
7h 50m1 stop
$135Frontier
Find Deal
mié., sep. 24 - mié., oct. 1
United Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 9:58 pmIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
11:20 pm - 6:55 amLAS-IAD
4h 35mnonstop
$207United Airlines
Find Deal
mar., oct. 28 - vie., oct. 31
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:40 pm - 10:26 pmIAD-LAS
7h 46m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 5:13 pmLAS-IAD
8h 13m1 stop
$210Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
sáb., dic. 6 - lun., dic. 8
United Airlines Logo
7:32 pm - 9:52 pmIAD-LAS
5h 20mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
11:53 pm - 7:12 amLAS-IAD
4h 19mnonstop
$217United Airlines
Find Deal
sáb., dic. 6 - mié., dic. 10
American Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 9:30 amDCA-LAS
5h 30mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
1:26 pm - 8:55 pmLAS-DCA
4h 29mnonstop
$217American Airlines
Find Deal
mié., oct. 1 - vie., oct. 3
Alaska Airlines Logo
9:59 am - 4:34 pmDCA-LAS
9h 35m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:33 am - 9:59 pmLAS-DCA
8h 26m1 stop
$226Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
dom., nov. 16 - mié., nov. 19
American Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 9:29 amDCA-LAS
5h 29mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
1:31 pm - 8:55 pmLAS-DCA
4h 24mnonstop
$227American Airlines
Find Deal
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?

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 72 hours was to Los Angeles, at $86 round-trip. The most popular route is from Baltimore (BWI) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $86.

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 $715 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 Wednesdays and avoid leaving on a Tuesday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from California, Thursday 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 49% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 26 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$64
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 3% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 25% 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 at night, when round-trip flights cost $399 on average. Morning departures are around 29% 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 $631.

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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 10000 reviews
7.1Food
7.0Entertainment
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
Airline reviews

The airline staff was great! The best safety review ive ever had!

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Aug 2025SEA - SJC
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

The airline staff was great! The best safety review ive ever had!

No food but only snack was provided during the 6-hour flight from EWR to LAX. I was so hungry during the trip.

Miss bigger screens for movies Staff was friendly Seats comfortable Bathroom line long

Agent boarding us in San Diego lectured me on showing up on time for the flight, and said that if I had been three minutes later, he would have denied myself and my wife boarding. Our trusted traveler numbers were not in the system, even though I entered them when I bought the tickets. Our food orders were not in the system, even though I entered them prior to the flight. My wife requires a wheelchair, and that was delayed on both flights.

It was fine—the seats are not very comfortable and the aisles are very narrow. Nothing different from other airlines

Unfortunately 4 hour 40 minute delay because of airport then one hour into flight diverted back to Kona elderly man on plane got heart attack trying to get home some how

Seats are so small now that it's very hard even for a medium-sized person to be comfortable!!!

My experience would’ve been great because we were on a new plane, but they said as we boarded that the plane would be too new to have WiFi, which to me is unreasonable - newer planes should def have WiFi! It was a 5 hour flight from Anchorage to San Fran and because there was no WiFi, I had to take an unexpected half day off work, which was super annoying because I had a lot to do and we only found out a few minutes before takeoff.

Such great crew, from checkin to the plane. So friendly and helpful, I was genuinely impressed.

My husband unfortunately had a very large lady next to him who did not fit in the seat and had to have the armrest up so she was partially in his seat and she also had horrible BO

Very small cramped plane for an international flight. Everything else was good, but it was maybe the smallest comfort-wise I've ever been on for longer than 3-4 hours and the trip was 7.5

The flight was comfortable with the exit row and great service

Plane was crowded and even when we hit altitude, the plane was hot, not enough air flow.

Flight was delayed 3 hours. No food and drink vouchers was provided. They offered a mini pretzel bag and water .

Staff was rude. Didn’t give water for 2 hours. Worst service

Was on time until within 1 hour of flight-how does that happen? Staff very friendly.

I liked the choice of lemon ginger tea. I think stewardesses can be more considerate of older people needs.

We were given vouchers we couldn’t use with a 5.5 hour delay

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.

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.

My flight was delayed for several hours. Sitting at gate 16 for several hours, I got a text from Kayak the gate changed to 9 before it was announced. Very bad communication at each gate from American Airlines employees. I received 10 notifications of delay from Kayak. My vacation started off horrible! I will write to American Airlines corporate office also.

The AA staff person who checked our bags was curt and almost rude. The FA also seemed unhappy doing her job. Overall it was like riding the school bus back in grade school.

Delayed flight that lead to a missed connection and a 5-hour trip became a 12-hour flight 🙄

There is no room, no gluten free options, or any free internet/entertainment. You have to bring your own tablet or smartphone because there are no screens.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

Boarding gate in Honolulu was staffed with a great clerk with a soothing voice despite the flight delay of over an hour. Flight attendants in the plane were all grumpy, not pleasant looking bunch. Their sour attitude showed throughout the flight. Inly able to get a select few movies started. Most of the movie links in the “free entertainment” did not work.

This was a horrible experience. For a first class experience, my chair was held together by 3M tape - and I have a photo. The crew weren’t very attentive, somewhat dismissive and forgot my drink and snack, the chair reclined about 3 inches on a 6-hour cross country flight. I was also not informed that there was no lounge available in Newark airport because of renovations, so all around this was one of the worst experiences and I would actively avoid both American and Alaska Air going forward.

They are still charging me after taking 466 and 833 for round trip from AR to to Bradley airport from 19 to 21. Then poor experience. Am hurt and I will say it on social media. Please stay away from this airline. I see in my bank account they are still taking 644. Am trying to stop it. I used to fly United airlines and I suggest that if you don't want extra charges and good service you go back there. American airlines delayed my flight again and I was late for my meeting, no recompensation but charging me over and over.

Boarding was very efficient. Everyone got on board and we got on our way very quickly. It was frustrating that the entertainment app was not functioning properly. I was not able to activate some of the movies offered. The crew on this flight appears to be pretty grumpy. They had no smile on their faces. I felt like they were doing us a favor for being there.

They changed our Gate 5 times, and concourse twice. Changed our seats twice.

Late departure by 1:45min. No explanation why. During boarding inconsistent policing of their baggage rules. Before takeoff and lamdimg strange obsession with window shade and armrest positions. Don't know why they care. 15 min tarmac delay on arrival, they blamed airport congestion but we were the o lh flight waiting, it was clear it was due to poor staff planning (only one ground crew to receive airplanes and multiple arrivals) Got there but was rrally lame the whole 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.

Finally a Frontier on time and efficient. I've had problems before with your airline, but this time everything went fine.

The experience was good. No frills but I got there safe and sound and on time.

Great for the price. No wifi or entertainment, but gate agents and crew were fantastic and we boarded quickly and left on time.

sluggish boarding and arrival procedures, fake nice flight attendants, and lots of delays.

Disaster. They lied every step of the way. We ended up being delayed due to crew and then allegedly abandoned the flight because of a curfew at LGA. No rebooking to LGA at any reasonable time. No hotel. No meal vouchers. Had to sleep in the airport and fly to Newark instead. Will never fly Frontier again.

What I expected, nickeled and dined and a frontier flight attendant loudly complained about her job and lack of communication as she headed to the gate on her cell phone. Not professional.

As every law enforcement agency I could imagine surrounded the plane and we didn’t disembark for 2 hours and then had to stick around for another hour to go get our personal belongings after leaving them behind and being bused away from the plane, it was scary and inconvenient. We were given no information as to why this was happening. Lack of communication with passengers was disappointing.

After boarding and un-boarding twice over 6+hours, the flight was canceled.

Severe turbulence. Captain never came on to reassure passengers after things settled down.

My first flight was delayed 5 hours. The 2nd flight was canceled til the next day and the never even tried to compensate for it. Worse I was delayed again on the flight the rebooked me on.

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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