$48 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 9/7. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights 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.
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$90
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$202
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$141
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$160
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$244
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$228
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$318
Bakersfield
Bakersfield2 stops$355
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$334
Redding
Redding1 stop$402
Reno
Reno1 stop$157
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$160
Los Angeles
Los Angelesnonstop$90
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$202
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$141
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$160
Palm Springs
Palm Springs1 stop$244
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$228
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo1 stop$318
Bakersfield
Bakersfield2 stops$355
Arcata
Arcata1 stop$334
Redding
Redding1 stop$402
Reno
Reno1 stop$157
Sacramento
Sacramento1 stop$160

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 26 - Tue, Sep 2
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 8:17 amBWI-LAX
5h 32mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
10:50 pm - 6:54 amLAX-BWI
5h 04mnonstop
$90Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 27 - Sun, Aug 31
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 8:17 amBWI-LAX
5h 32mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
10:50 pm - 6:54 amLAX-BWI
5h 04mnonstop
$97Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 19 - Fri, Aug 22
Frontier Logo
6:14 am - 8:13 amIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
Frontier Logo
10:56 pm - 6:30 amLAS-IAD
4h 34mnonstop
$131Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 30 - Wed, Aug 6
Frontier Logo
7:30 am - 9:29 amIAD-LAS
4h 59mnonstop
Frontier Logo
11:00 pm - 6:34 amLAS-IAD
4h 34mnonstop
$141Frontier
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 26 - Tue, Aug 26
United Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 11:03 amIAD-LAS
5h 03mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
1:15 pm - 8:51 pmLAS-IAD
4h 36mnonstop
$154United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 27 - Wed, Sep 3
American Airlines Logo
9:30 am - 11:24 amDCA-LAS
4h 54mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
12:27 pm - 8:15 pmLAS-DCA
4h 48mnonstop
$158American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 6 - Tue, Sep 16
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
Wed, Aug 27 - Wed, Sep 3
American Airlines Logo
9:30 am - 11:24 amDCA-LAS
4h 54mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
12:27 pm - 8:15 pmLAS-DCA
4h 48mnonstop
$160American Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 15 - Wed, Sep 24
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:59 pm - 10:32 amDCA-LAS
18h 33m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:10 am - 5:59 pmLAS-DCA
8h 49m1 stop
$201Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Aug 23 - Sat, Aug 30
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:52 pm - 8:19 pmIAD-SAN
5h 27mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
8:33 am - 4:47 pmSAN-IAD
5h 14mnonstop
$214Alaska 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.

How much is a round-trip flight from Washington, D.C. to California?

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 $110 round-trip. The most popular route is from Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD) to San Francisco (SFO), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was $324.

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 $770 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 August, 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 $485 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. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.


Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight$48
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 Los Angeles

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 $621.

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
7.1Entertainment
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.1Food
Airline reviews

There was a delay, then we were boarded, then deboarded, then waited another hour for a new flight, then boarded again and arrived 2 hours later than expected while traveling with 3 young children.

2.0 MediocreDaniel, Jul 2025SEA - BUR
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

There was a delay, then we were boarded, then deboarded, then waited another hour for a new flight, then boarded again and arrived 2 hours later than expected while traveling with 3 young children.

As always to close confinement for passengers not in upgrades. I like that you still get carry on and personal bag.

I purchased the internet during the flight and it stopped working after 1 hour, so I barely got to use it.

I had a negative experience, the flight delay was very long, I didn't like it

Original flight was canceled, and the automatically booked second flight was immediately delayed. I arrived about 4 hours later than planned with only a $12 meal voucher that didn't fully cover a sandwich at airport prices.

It was very good and comfortable, Crew was also great

Good experience, although it was a little cramped being a tall person. Otherwise everything went smoothly and professionally though

Only offered water, no snacks provided, and it was cold on the plane, everyone was wearing sweatshirt or jacket in June. I asked for blanket, but crew said they didnt have anything and would turn the heat up, that didn't happen, so for 6 hours I remained cold.

Delay of more than 3 hours I didnt recieve neither a voucher for food Attention disaster

I'm a platinum member with American Airlines, however, my ticket did not display status and thus I did not board with an early group. I traveled with my two daughters and we were given a row of seats that did not recline. Not the treatment I would have expected for a platinum customer. The flight was also a bit late leaving Portland. Also on my flight to Portland we were not given premium seats. In fact, we were in the last row of the aircraft.

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

Boarded plane and then delayed 1.5 hours while on the plane

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

My flight was delayed a very short period of time but they did not hold my connecting flight to San Diego, also through United. So they closed the doors before we got off our plane. They would only have to help the door open for another five to ten minutes. So I missed a court deadline for a manditory mediation settlement conference for my client. I had to get an associate to be there in person and be on the phone with him relaying what he needs to do the entire time. The court was very upset with me and so was my client. United cannot be trusted.

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

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Loved the staff, boarding and drink options! Wish the comfort of the seat could have been better nevertheless

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.

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.

Late, terrible communication, horrible planning of passenger seating until the literal last minute. One of the worst flying experiences of my life. Y'all suck

Both legs of the flight were changed. The day of the flight and length of the trip.

First of all, we never got on the connecting flight to Denver. They delayed our flight for two hours. If we would have gotten on that flight, we would have been stuck in Denver for 13 hours. So we re- routed our flight for a straight through flight to Oklahoma two days later. THEN, they delayed that flight for two hours. After that we were able to finally get on our flight and come home. Frontier Airlines - one of the worst airlines I have ever been on.

Terrible communication with weather delay, lost baggage, near impossible to reach customer service

My tickets got canceled on me by your site and I didn't have a flight. Then you kept sending me emails on the status of q flight I didn't have tickets for.

The delay was ridiculous because nary a word escaped from the gate attendant regarding our flight status. It was a complete joke.

I missed a flight because of a delay. I had to buy a new ticket through Southwest.

The crew was mostly okay. The flight attendant who answered our questions was curt and unhelpful unfortunately. He seemed upset and I understand having off days.

Flight was delayed one hour. Notification to the crowd waiting near the gate was terrible…announcements were unclear and very hard to hear and therefore understand. Frontier does NOT send texts to notify, only email. The reader board over the gate itself was NEVER updated to indicate the gate had been changed. It’s like a bunch of children are running things.

I’m not gonna fly Frontier Airlines because booking is not an option. No water or food is for high price, not equipped for health emergency incompetent crew for emergency services. Cheap airline shows it is cheaper in all service categories. Boarding is the best of all airlines!

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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