Dallas/Fort Worth to San Diego International
1169 miles great-circle distance, typically flown in 2h 45m with 5 airlines operating direct service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to San Diego International (SAN). Cheapest fares are usually in Jun (around $101 return), with peak prices in Jun (around $101). Departures on a Tuesday tend to undercut weekend prices on this corridor.
Flying from Dallas/Fort Worth
Dallas/Fort Worth International is American Airlines' largest hub and the second-busiest hub in the world by aircraft movement. Five terminals A through E are connected by the Skylink automated people mover, with DART's Orange Line running from Terminal A directly to downtown Dallas in around 50 minutes for $2.50. American dominates the schedule from DFW; Spirit and Frontier add ULCC capacity on the heaviest leisure routes — usually the cheapest fares out of the airport.
Arriving in San Diego
San Diego International is 3 miles from downtown San Diego — the second most central US airport after BOS. MTS Route 992 runs from the terminals directly to downtown San Diego in 15 minutes for $2.50. Fares from US East Coast cities peak around Comic-Con (mid-July) and the San Diego Padres' major series; September–November is consistently the cheapest window with the best weather.
Who flies DFW to SAN?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| American Airlines | AA | 2h 45m | Economy |
| Spirit Airlines | NK | 2h 45m | Economy |
| Frontier Airlines | F9 | 2h 45m | Economy |
| United Airlines | UA | 2h 45m | Economy |
| Delta Air Lines | DL | 2h 45m | Economy |
5 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
Best time to fly DFW→SAN
Synthesised from 12-month price aggregates. Cheapest months in green, peak in red.
Estimated baseline. Prices update on a 30-day cadence as Travelpayouts data refreshes. Cheapest day-of-week typically Tuesday.
Dallas to San Diego FAQs
Direct flights from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to San Diego International (SAN) take approximately 2h 45m for the 1169-mile journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
Jun is typically the cheapest month on this route, with one-way fares from $77. Jun is the peak — expect prices 2–3× higher. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for best fares; last-minute prices on this corridor rise sharply inside two weeks of departure.
5 carriers operate direct service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to San Diego International (SAN): American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — American Airlines typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
No — United States is domestic travel for US citizens. A US passport is not required for the 50 states, DC or US territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands), though Real ID-compliant ID is required at TSA from May 2025.
San Diego International (SAN) is the primary international airport for San Diego. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus, taxi or rideshare depending on traffic and time of day. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.