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San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) hits next weekend. If your badge is secured and your plans are mostly locked, here’s a final check-in from KAYAK: the travel trends, price insights, and pro-level navigation tips shaping SDCC 2025. From packed flights to sold-out hotels and trolley station gridlock, here’s what we’re seeing and how to handle it like a con-going pro.

HIGHLIGHTS SUMMARY


39%↑

flight search increase

July vs June 2025

4%↑

average hotel price

SDCC 2024 vs 2025

$399

average hotel price

SDCC July 2025

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Flight deals assemble: Attendees save on their Comic-Con journey.

39%↑

flight search increase

July vs June 2025

Flight searches for San Diego Comic-Con are 39% higher than a month ago, but airfares are surprisingly down. Prices are currently 7% cheaper than 2024. That means planes can already be rather full, but for those wanting to snatch a good ticket price, now is the time.

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Pro tips

  • Fly mid-week (Tuesday or Wednesday) to dodge peak congestion. Most of the biggest panels (think Hall H heavy hitters) run Thursday through Saturday.
  • Bringing cosplay or exclusive merch home? Add a checked bag in your KAYAK flight search so you’ve got guaranteed room for the goods. Carry-ons fill up fast, and you don’t want to be that person rearranging prop swords at the gate.

Claim your HQ: Hotel prices hold steady.

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4%↑

average hotel price

SDCC 2024 vs 2025

Comic-Con always fills hotel rooms, but this year isn’t too different from the last. Average prices are about 4% higher compared to SDCC 2024 at the moment, around $15 more per night. That’s modest in convention terms.

Compared to searches from a month ago, KAYAK saw 82% more people looking for hotel stays over Comic-Con dates. That’s what you’d expect as the event approaches, not an unusual spike.

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Expand your search beyond downtown. Mission Valley and Old Town San Diego can offer great hotel better rates, and the trolley makes it easy to get to the Convention Center.

Californians showing up in force.

KAYAK data also shows 14% more Californians are searching for in-state flights during SDCC this year versus last. Even if you’re close enough to drive, a quick flight might save time during Comic-Con week’s notorious traffic.

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If flying in from within California, early-morning flights tend to be less delayed – critical when every minute counts for badge pickup or that Hall H line.

Your SDCC power-up pack: Panels and pro tips.

During Comic-Con, San Diego turns into one big event venue and getting around downtown is a game of strategy. Here’s how to win:

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Ditch the Car: Ride the trolley or walk. Downtown San Diego turns pedestrian-only around the Convention Center. Rideshares surge and parking gets scarce fast. Use San Diego’s trolley system, or, if you’re staying close, just walk.

Be app savvy. Download the official SDCC app for live updates on panels, maps and changes. And plan ahead for peak crowd events like the Star Wars Cosplay meetup on Thursday morning and the Marvel Studios Hall H Panel on Saturday afternoon.

Catch the shuttle. If you’re not downtown, don’t sweat it. Many hotels outside downtown run them specifically for SDCC.

Whether you’re chasing Hall H exclusives or scouting for limited-edition merch, San Diego Comic-Con 2025 is shaping up to be as big as ever.

price-alerts

With prices holding steady and flights cheaper than last year, there’s still time to lock things in. Let KAYAK help you get there.

Set up a Price Alert to scoop up a last-minute deal.

Flight data: Based on flight searches made on KAYAK.com in the period between 11/01/2024 and 07/11/2025 for flights with departure between 07/22/2025 and 07/29/2025 from any US airport. They were compared to searches made in the period between 11/01/2023 and 07/11/2024 with the same travel period in 2024. All prices are average prices for economy, round-trip tickets. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed. Percentages for changes in searches are approximate. 

Hotel data: Based on hotel searches made on KAYAK.com in the period between 11/01/2024 and 07/11/2025 for travel days between 07/22/2025 and 07/29/2025. They were compared to the searches made in the period between 11/01/2023 and 07/11/2024 with the same travel period in 2024. All prices are average for 1 night in a double room in any star hotel. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed.

About the author

KAYAK Since 2004, KAYAK has been revolutionizing the travel industry. Metasearch for travel? No one was doing it. Until we did. Today, we process billions of queries across our platforms each year for travel information, helping millions of travelers around the globe make confident decisions. With every query, KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to show travelers the information they need to find the right flights, hotels, hire cars and holiday packages.

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