WAS - SJO

$82 Find Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to San José

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 San José departing on 9/16. 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 San José.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Washington, D.C. to San José.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to San José (WAS-SJO)

 
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 San José 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 San José

Tue, Sep 2 - Tue, Sep 9
Spirit Airlines Logo
7:54 pm - 11:12 amBWI-SJO
17h 18m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
12:19 pm - 11:25 pmSJO-BWI
9h 06m1 stop
$207Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Jan 1 - Sat, Jan 17
Avianca Logo
1:30 am - 11:25 amIAD-SJO
10h 55m2 stops
Avianca Logo
5:00 am - 4:55 pmSJO-IAD
10h 55m1 stop
$210Avianca
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 29 - Mon, Oct 6
Copa Airlines Logo
4:49 pm - 9:04 amBWI-SJO
18h 15m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
4:11 am - 3:08 pmSJO-BWI
8h 57m1 stop
$229Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jan 24 - Mon, Feb 9
Copa Airlines Logo
1:12 am - 7:29 amIAD-SJO
7h 17m1 stop
Copa Airlines Logo
2:20 pm - 3:15 amSJO-IAD
11h 55m1 stop
$241Copa Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Sep 12 - Mon, Sep 15
United Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 12:26 pmDCA-SJO
18h 27m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 11:54 pmSJO-DCA
8h 24m1 stop
$256United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Oct 27 - Sun, Nov 2
Southwest Logo
6:35 am - 12:35 pmBWI-SJO
8h 00m1 stop
Southwest Logo
2:10 pm - 12:05 amSJO-BWI
8h 55m1 stop
$256Southwest
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 15 - Mon, Sep 22
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 12:26 pmBWI-SJO
8h 26m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
1:30 pm - 1:48 pmSJO-BWI
22h 18m2 stops
$260United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 21 - Thu, Sep 25
Southwest Logo
6:05 am - 11:35 amBWI-SJO
7h 30m1 stop
Southwest Logo
8:50 am - 11:15 pmSJO-BWI
12h 25m2 stops
$261Southwest
Find Deal
Fri, Oct 31 - Mon, Nov 3
American Airlines Logo
6:11 am - 6:16 pmIAD-SJO
14h 05m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
1:23 pm - 11:07 pmSJO-IAD
8h 44m1 stop
$262American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Nov 1 - Wed, Nov 5
American Airlines Logo
7:18 pm - 12:09 pmBWI-SJO
18h 51m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
1:23 pm - 11:35 pmSJO-BWI
9h 12m1 stop
$263American Airlines
Find Deal
Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Washington, D.C. to San José

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
Avianca

Avianca's Classic fare includes a free checked bag and seat selection, ideal for longer flights.


Avianca's 787 Dreamliner offers flatbed seats in business class, enhancing comfort on longer flights.

United Airlines

United's Economy Plus offers up to 6 inches more legroom, enhancing comfort on medium-haul flights.


United's Wi-Fi offers free messaging; T-Mobile customers enjoy free streaming, ideal for staying connected.

Airports
IAD

For a smooth departure from IAD, use the AeroTrain for quick access between terminals and plan for potential security line delays.

Read more about IADby Stefanie Waldek
SJO

Upon arrival at SJO, arrange ground transportation in advance for a smoother transition to San José or other destinations.

Read more about SJOby Mark Chesnut
Our travel experts
Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on Avianca and SJO

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and has covered air travel for multiple top consumer and trade media outlets.

Read more
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and IAD

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Read more
Booking Insights

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

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

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

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

The cheapest return flight from Washington, D.C. to San José costs $243 on the route between Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl Airport (IAD) and San José (SJO). Over the past month, this route was, on average, 31% cheaper than other Washington, D.C.-San José routes. It is also the most popular route.

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

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

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

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

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 San José, 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 San José is October, where tickets cost $321 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $677 and $522 respectively.

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

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 $340, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

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 San José, 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 San José, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 3 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonSeptember
Cheapest flight$82
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 17% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 69% increase in price.
Flight from Baltimore to San José

When to book flights from Washington, D.C. to San José

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Washington, D.C. to San José based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Washington, D.C. to San José

  • How is parking at IAD, BWI, and DCA airports?

    Both airports in Washington, D. C provide ample parking spaces to passengers flying out and need to leave their cars at the airport. You can use the international parking lots or the daily economic parking spaces. All these will depend on how long you intend to leave your car at the airport. The short-term parking spaces are found at the domestic terminal. However, offsite is a much better option if you are flying out for extended stays as it is much cheaper compared to the onsite parking lots at the airports.

  • Are there onsite hotels at SJO airport?

    Passengers looking for accommodation near SJO airport for easy access should consider staying at Holiday Inn Express San Jose, which is 1 mile from the airport. This hotel offers free airport shuttle services, ample parking for self-driving guests, a comfortable bed and free breakfast.

  • What amenities does SJO airport offer nursing mothers?

    Nursing mothers flying with their infants through this airport have a private and secure lactation area where they can pump and breastfeed their infants. The rooms are fully equipped with functional items such as electrical power outlets, a sink, comfortable rocking chairs, changing diapers, and soft lighting. The lactation rooms are located at terminals 1, 2 and 5.

  • Where can I spend the night at DCA airport?

    Passengers looking forward to spending the night at DCA airport due to morning flights or connecting flights can spend the night at the landside next to the security area where there are coaches. On the hand, if you are flying through IAD, you can spend the night in Concourses C and D, while at BWI, you can spend the night in Concourses C, D and E. You should carry an extra traveling blanket, eye fold and earplugs for more comfort.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Washington, D.C. to San José was $82 for a one-way ticket and $207 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Washington, D.C. and San José?

    Yes

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    Washington, D.C. is served by 2 major airports and there is only 1 main airport in San José. You will leave Washington, D.C. from one of these airports: Washington, D.C. Reagan-National or Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl. You will be arriving at San José Juan Santamaria Intl.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    Delta, and JetBlue offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Washington, D.C. to San José flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    The Airbus A320neo is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Washington, D.C. to San José flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between Washington, D.C. and San José.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Washington, D.C. to San José?

    You can catch a nonstop flight from Washington, D.C. to San José on on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Washington, D.C. to San José, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Washington, D.C. to San José are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $613 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $394 and an overall rating of 8.0.

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

    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 San José.

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

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

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San José with an airline and back to Washington, D.C. 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 San José?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San José from Washington, D.C. up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Washington, D.C. to San José

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $202 or less one-way and $398 or less round-trip.
  • You must arrive at any of the departure airports in Washington, D.C, at least 3 hours before your departure time. This ensures you go through the checkpoint, get your boarding pass and head to the boarding gate on time.
  • Make sure you inform your airline at least earlier enough if you are going to need wheelchair assistance upon arriving at San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). As soon as you land, they can arrange with the airport staff for you to get a wheelchair and assist you in alighting.
  • Taxis services are the quickest means of transportation to Baltimore, Washington Marshall/ Thurgood International Airport (BWI) that you can use when you are running behind schedule and do not want to miss your flight. The taxis will take approximately 14 minutes to get to the airport. If you are downtown, you can take the train to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), which will arrive in 40 minutes. On the hand, from the city center to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), a taxi will take approximately 10 minutes.
  • Before booking any inflight services such as entertainment, ensure it is available. This is because flights flying from Washington, D.C., to San Jose are commonly operated by the same airlines, and most of these airlines provide the same inflight services.
  • Consider flying with JetBlue, Avianca, Delta, Copa Airlines or Aeromexico if you want to enjoy the lounge amenities at San Jose Juan Santamaria Intl (SJO) airport. Both airlines have lounges with cozy chairs, great food and beverages, and access to electrical power outlets to charge your devices.

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Washington, D.C. to San José. 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 San José? 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 4244 reviews
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Southwest's seats are the least comfortable I have ever sat in.

4.0 OkayDavid, Aug 2025DTW - STL
Read more Southwest reviews

Southwest's seats are the least comfortable I have ever sat in.

The cabin was quiet for the redeye flight. The area was clean. The staff was great. The 787 Max was in good condition. Drawbacks were that the seat widths were tight for some passengers. The seat padding was at best average and for a long flight uncomfortable.

Southwest like most American domestic airlines, is a mediocre airline. But it is among the cheapest. Oh well.

My flight was delayed 50 minutes and we were rushed to board to then sit for 15 minutes until the pilot arrived. Unacceptable since we could have waited to board. Also the delayed flight was updated AFTER we boarded to more than the 10 minutes as originally stated.

Other than a bit of a delay, everything was good. Again, the boarding process and picking seats is the only thing I don't enjoy.

If we are going to have to pay for luggage, make it easier to do. Put something on the app during check-in so I don't need to do it at the kiosk. I've done it twice recently and I ended up having to pay at the desk because something went wrong at the kiosk in Tampa.

Better and more food and drinks. Put msnbc and free speech tv on the news channel selection list.

southwest just starting charging for luggage. hadnt realized it until it was too late. now out $70 when i couldve bought a carry on if i wouldve known. free bags was one of the only reasons i chose southwest over another airline (the other being no assigned seats, which is apparently also being changed). stupid business decision. wont be flying southwest anymore.

The quality of Southwest Airlines continues to degrade each time I fly with them. If it were not for the free luggage, I would probably choose another airline. Their prices are a little bit competitive, but way too high for the quality of the service. Southwest is not unique in this way. Domestic flight in the United States of America has continued to be a lower and lower quality product. Very sad when you compare the quality of domestic airlines to that of many international airlines around the world.

Very smooth checking in our luggage with a super pleasant SW agent. I enjoyed a fun entertaining movie.

We had a great flight just wished they had a tv so we can see a movie that would of made my trip excellent.

The flighr attandants were very rude they ignored me didnt offer me anything to drink throughoit the 4 hour flight i feel i was targeted and ignored because i was a darkskin latino man.

Very happy with my flight. I would definitely recommend it.

Did upgrade, travel in business it was great (more room I could sleep)

Had to go through security at the gate again. Had to take off shoes and go through the whole thing again even though we have global entry. They asked us to check in items bought at duty free during our layover and since we checked our luggage at the original departure airport, they forced us to check in a small backpack. None of this ever happened with other airlines. In addition, no vegetarian food option and no snacks during a 7 hr flight. Luggage limits are unusually small. This is unacceptable. Will NEVER fly Copa again and will tell friends and family to avoid this airline.

It was ok. However, the food was quite poor since I don't eat pasta.

Enforce the boarding process by group numbers. Tell people to stay seated during the meal/drink distribution. It took forever to get food and drinks because people would not stay out the isle and let the crew do their jobs. Everyone wanted to go to the bathroom forcing the crew to enter and leave the isle constantly so people can pass. Tell people to keep their electronics off speaker mode. No one wants to hear phone conversations and music playing.

Placed us in the last rear row of the plane so could not recline seats because of the rear wall, and also made it more of a tight space when the passenger in front reclined their seat. While understand seat assignments, every passenger should be afforded a reclining seat. The odor control scent from the restrooms was overwhelming strong. My wife and I could not deal with it, and she suffered a terrible headache as a result. I kept getting hit by the crew since I was on the ilse seat. No apologies, nothing. They made me feel like I was supposed to take the beating for a 3 hr flight.

There was no individual at the front check in when I arrived. I waited for at least 15 minutes and walked around asking security/janitors if they could help and they did not have a solution. So I had to take my checked bag through security and they threw away some of my items. I ended up making it to the gate only a few minutes before it closed due to my waiting for an agent at check in.

My flight delayed and i misss the connection they send me to orlando no to tampa i have to pay a uber to my house

Had to cancel first flight because Airporter Bus took over 3 hrs to get to airport which resulted in an extra $378 dollar fare . Is there anyway I can be reimbursed for initial fare since it was not my fault? Sent from my iPhone EJ Ledet

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.

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.

Pretty good. The food was just mediocre, the boarding and crew were good.

The comfort of the seats was great, the crew eased my child’s anxieties and the fact that I had full cans of my beverage choice was great.

My flight got switched and my prepaid bag didnt transfer over properly so I paid to check ANOTHER BAG. I was placed in a middle seat and it was just miserable. At least it was a bulkhead row so I had legroom. The flight just never seem3d to end

4 hours late, including over +1 hour waiting in plane to take off. Baggage left behind too.

Sat on the ground in Cincinnati for 50 minutes before deplaning

While waiting to claim my checked luggage, I discovered the airline had lost it. After a long wait and inquiries, I discovered it was on another flight. Fortunately, the airline finally sent my luggage home.

Crew should be nicer and emphatic with customers. Same cookies as the past 20 years. Seat are ok and the plane was clean though it was delayed.

Was not able to watch most shows on the entertainment site. They would not load

As smooth as you can expect. Some issues with boarding because the previous plane took forever to deplane but overall, a good experience.

On Wednesday, July 30 we were in mid flight from Manchester to Charlotte and we turned around because the right engine was malfunctioning. That was the last flight out of Manchester that night. I was rebooked for Thursday, which became a weather event Friday. There were no seats left on the flight from Manchester to Charlotte. Consequently I didn’t leave Manchester until Saturday morning and we flew to Chicago so to say the least my scheduled flight and return to Iowa was three days off and it messed with my business schedule. Consequently cash flow. I would like some sort of acknowledgment of this event.

No food, terms when selling are not clear. To pricy for the service in general

Avianca is not what it used to be. So disappointing

The incoming plane was late and no information was shared. They even announced we would board in 10 muntes 40 minutes prior to the plane arriving, and the website said until takeoff that we had taken off an hour earlier

Boarding was excessively slow. They do it by groups in a way that it doesn’t make sense. After business class , ppl that need assistance and any other priority group they should have ppl board from the back to the front. First rows 20+. Then 15+. Then 10, etc. having ppl sitting in the back board last makes no sense. The libe backame long as soon as ppl on rows 10 or so where told to board. The line went all the way up the ramp and tunnel for 25 mins.

Seats are very tight even in Plus, no complimentary snacks or beverage

Flight to Bogotá delayed by 3 h Missed connection from Bogotá to Guayaquil. Avianca unable to bring us to Baltra on time Overall delay 36h. We missed boat departure from galagos. Overall 10 day trip needed to be cancelled. Avianca was completely un-professional.

I receive a service for what I pay, so it is fair.

The seats were very uncomfortable. I would have upgrade or got different flight if I knew. I usually sleep in the plane but I couldn’t sleep at all. Very uncomfortable. Also no food or drink everything was to purchase, and that’s u usual for international flight.

There isn't much space in-between seats and even water needs to be paid for during the flight.

We did not know about the bag fees until check in. They are way too high. It’s insane. We also had a huge delay and everything costed extra which was very annoying.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Washington, D.C. to San José

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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