Flights to San Diego
Buy your flights to San Diego and pay later
Want to make your trip to San Diego more affordable? Then you're at the perfect place!
At Alternative Airlines, we make flying more accessible through our affordable travel options. You can select from one of our 600+ airlines, including luxury carriers and ultra-low-cost options.
Make your money go further by selecting a Buy Now Pay Later at checkout. That way, you can split the cost of your flights to San Diego into smaller, more manageable instalments rather than paying a large sum upfront.
We've partnered with leading payment providers like Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, Sezzle and many more. Select the ideal payment plan for you including long-term and interest-free options.
Book your flights to San Diego today and pay your way 🌞
How to find cheap flights to San Diego
Start searching🔎
Type 'San Diego' into our search bar at the top of the page. Choose your travel dates and where you'll be flying from. We'll then show you all the airlines and times available to you.
Sort and filter ✔️
Looking for something more specific? Maybe you want to travel on a low-cost carrier, or you're looking for a more luxurious experience. You can use our handy filter system to sort by price, shortest travel time or a specific airline. Looking for non-stop flights to San Diego? Just tick the box.
Be flexible with your dates 📅
Flight prices can shift depending on when you fly. If your dates are flexible, our best fare finder tool can help you spot the cheapest day to travel.
Pay your way 💸
Pay all at once or break it into smaller chunks. With our many flexible payment options, you can book now and pay later completely stress-free!
Top tip 💡
Flying mid-week and avoiding big events can help you save. Booking early gives you more choices, too.
Top airlines flying to San Diego
Out of the 600+ airlines to choose from, these are our top three for getting you to San Diego.
As the world's most popular airline in terms of passengers served, American Airlines can get you to nearly any destination you want, including sunny San Diego.
American Airlines flies within the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Its most common routes to San Diego include flying from Dallas, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Chicago.
Fun Fact: American Airlines helped a staggering 249 million passengers reach their destination in 2024 alone! 💫
If you want a more budget-friendly way of getting to San Francisco, then Southwest Airlines has got you covered. Southwest is the most popular low-cost American carrier, getting you to San Diego for less, so you have more to spend while away.
Southwest Airlines primarily flies within the continent of North America. The airline's most common routes to San Diego include flying from Sacramento and San Jose.
Fun Fact: Southwest is one of the highest-rated American airlines on Skytrax! 💫
Flying to San Diego but not from America? Then British Airways is the perfect airline for you. It offers nonstop flights from the UK to San Diego, reducing wait times to your destination.
British Airways flies to countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Most of its flights to San Diego come from London Heathrow, where you can get a direct flight.
Fun Fact: British Airways serves around 40 million cups of tea annually! 💫
What other airlines fly to San Diego?
Here are some more worldwide airlines flying to San Diego. Click on each name for a more in-depth description of what they have to offer and where they fly from.
Airports in San Diego
If you're flying into San Diego, your best bet would be arriving at one of these airports.
Most people flying into San Diego will arrive at SAN, the city's primary airport.
SAN will have you immediately near the heart of San Diego as it's just 3 miles from downtown.
One of the easiest ways to get from SAN to downtown is by taking the MTS Bus 992, with tickets costing about $2.50 per person. Alternatively, you can get a taxi or an Uber, but this will be several times more expensive.
SAN is a hub for Southwest, Alaska Airlines and West Air✈️
Tijuana International Airport
The second nearest airport to San Diego is actually in Mexico. California is one of the US states boarding Mexico, with Tijuana being just 22 miles away from San Diego.
It's possible to drive from Tijuana to San Diego in less than an hour while avoiding any tolls. You can also go via public transport by taking the Los Limousines, which stops off at San Diego and goes all the way to Los Angeles.
TIJ is a hub for Volaris✈️
McClellan–Palomar Airport
CLD is the next nearest airport. It's quite a small airport offering domestic flights to and from 5 other airports (as of mid-2025).
CLD is in San Diego County, not to be confused with the city. There's around a 35-mile distance between CLD and San Diego City, which takes roughly 40 minutes to drive.
Going by public transport can be more complicated as you'll have to make around three changes, amounting to a journey of around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
CLD isn't currently the hub for any major airlines ✈️
John Wayne Airport
This international airport, although a little further, is another great way of getting to San Diego. It's located in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County, California and is around 87 miles away from San Diego.
If you want to drive or get a taxi from SNA, you'll be on the road for around 1 hour and 30 minutes. Public transport can take a lot longer, however, with journeys totalling 3 to 4 hours and requiring multiple changes.
CLD isn't currently the hub for any major airlines ✈️
Popular flights to San Diego
San Diego is a popular tourist destination, with plenty of direct flights coming and going from across the world. These are some of the most common flight routes into the city.
Top Domestic Routes
- Las Vegas > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Spirit, Frontier, Delta, and Southwest: 1 hour and 20 minute flight time.
- San Francisco > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Alaska, Frontier, United, and Southwest: 1 hour and 40 minute flight time.
- San Jose > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Spirit, Southwest, Frontier, and Hawaiian: 1 hour 25 minute flight time.
- Phoenix > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Frontier, Southwest, and American Airlines: 1 hour and 25 minute flight time.
- Denver > San Diego — Direct flights operated by Frontier, United and Southwest: 2 hour and 30 minute flight time.
Top International Routes
- Vancouver > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by WestJet and Delta: 3 hour and 5 minute flight time.
- San José del Cabo > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Alaska Airlines: 2 hour and 10 minute flight time.
- London > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by British Airways and Iberia: 11 hour and 20 minute flight time.
- Toronto > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by Porter Airlines and Air Transat: 5 hour and 10 minute flight time.
- Calgary > San Diego — Direct flights are operated by WestJet and Delta: 3 hour and 20 minute flight time.
Book flights to San Diego
Sunny San Diego gives you the best of both worlds. It's a thriving city with high-end stores, delicious street food and exciting attractions combined with beautiful beaches, great for surfing, sunbathing and watching the sea lions.
With Alternative Airlines, you can select from over 600 airlines so that you can fly on the airline that best suits your location and financial needs. We offer over 40 payment methods, including Crypto and Buy Now Pay Later, giving you the utmost control over your finances.
Things to do in San Diego
You'll be spoilt for choice of things to do in San Diego. But these are three activities you can't miss.
If you love animals, then a trip to the San Diego Zoo is a must. San Diego's Zoo is AZA accredited, meaning its animals are well looked after and have high-quality enrichment activities, food, and veterinary care. Thanks to San Diego Zoo's conservation efforts, you get to know that the money you spend visiting the zoo is going to a good cause!
San Diego Zoo is one of the largest in America, offering a plethora of creatures to see, from big to small to flying and swimming. Get to witness animals native to California, like the California Condor, the largest vulture in North America.
Other animals at the zoo include leopards, monkeys, penguins, elephants, polar bears, and giraffes, alongside 680 more!
A day pass to San Diego Zoo costs around $76 for adults (12+) and $66 for children (3-11).
San Diego's wildlife opportunities don't stop outside of its zoo. Balboa Park is sprawling in natural and humanmade beauty. The 1,200-acre nature park is overflowing with things to explore and activities to partake in, suitable for people of all ages and interests.
You will find 19 distinct parks at Balboa with various trails, allowing you to get your steps in while enjoying spectacular views. Delve into Palm Canyon, where you'll see more than 450 palm trees, creating a lush tropical paradise. Visit the Zoro Garden, a thriving butterfly garden with all the plants required for the full lifecycle of caterpillar to butterfly.
Within the park, you'll also find museums displaying traditional and local art, as well as cafes where you can sit back and enjoy a refreshing drink between walks.
It's free to enter Balboa Park; however, some of the museums and attractions will require a small admission fee.
Relax at La Jolla Shores Park
If you want to spend some time unwinding at the beach, then La Jolla Shores Park is the ideal place to go. This mile-long beach offers plenty of secluded spots to relax and enjoy the sights.
During summer and autumn, the waves are particularly calm, presenting the perfect swimming and surfing opportunity for all experience levels. With lifeguards on duty from 9 am to dusk, know that even when the waves get choppier, you'll still be safe.
As you walk along the sand, you'll see flocks of birds waddling across the beach, as well as seals popping their heads out of the water and lounging on nearby rocks.
Choose the perfect part of the beach to spend the day. If you'd prefer a quieter spot, then pick somewhere overlooked by the cliffs. However, if you'd rather be closer to the action (and lifeguards), then stay nearer to the promenade, where you'll find plenty of ice cream parlours and tourist shops to explore.
Best time to visit San Diego
San Diego is great all year round, but each season offers different opportunities. Discover your perfect season.
Spring 🌸
March to May
San Diego in spring is a comfortable kind of warm. It's not too hot that it gets stifling but not cold enough that you have to put on multiple layers. If you're an outdoorsy person, then spring's the time for you. Perfect for hiking and cycling, with the addition of it being less busy than Summer.
Summer ☀️
June to August
Summer is San Diego's hottest season. If your ideal holiday involves tanning at the beach, then it's not a season you'll want to miss. San Diego gets high levels of UV in the summer, so make sure to lather on the sunscreen. The waves tend to be less intense during summer, providing the perfect opportunity to dip in the water if you need to cool off.
Autumn 🍂
September to November
Autumn is another hot season, with early autumn experiencing the same highs as late summer. During autumn, the water temperature will often peak, making swimming a must, especially since the waves tend to be nice and calm like summer. The only big difference between summer and autumn is that autumn tends to attract fewer crowds.
Winter ❄️
December to February
While winter is San Diego's coolest season, the conditions are still relatively warm, with an average low of 10°. With the milder conditions, you can spend longer periods enjoying outdoor activities, like hiking and cycling.
Travel around California ✈️
California is the third most visited US state. With so many cities to see and explore, why just settle for one? Discover all that the Golden State has to offer through affordable domestic flights.
Los Angeles 🎥
Home to the stars, LA is the capital of all things glitz and glam. With Hollywood and Beverly Hills, LA is a hub for movies, theatre and art. Stroll along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and see the names of some of the most influential people in the entertainment industry. LA is more than just its celebrities, though. Learn more about the galaxy at the Griffith Observatory and watch Planetarium shows of the cosmos. Take a trip to the beach and partake in a basketball or tennis match. Afterwards, get a nice detox smoothie or treat yourself to a fancy cocktail.
San Francisco 🚞
This hilly city offers views like no other. Visit Muir Woods to see some of the tallest trees in the world and get a glimpse of the creatures that inhabit the forest, like the deer and otters. When walking through the city, if you're starting to work up too much of a sweat, then hitch a ride on one of the streetcars. Stop off at the Pier and enjoy the sights of the water while going on a shopping spree. If shopping's not your idea of fun then don't worry. There are plenty of amusement rides to keep you entertained.
Wherever you're looking to go next, we'll get you there on your terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Diego safe?
Yes, San Diego is safe. It's one of the safest large cities in America, and its crime rate is on the decline. Property crime (burglary and theft) is the most common type of offence in San Diego, and even that isn't very high.
Still, with any destination, you should always be alert and remember that instances can occur to anyone. By avoiding isolated areas, not being out too late and hiding expensive valuables, you can limit your chances of falling victim to a crime.
Is San Diego expensive?
Yes, California is one of the most expensive states in America, and San Diego is one of the more costly cities in California. In fact, San Diego is classified as one of the most expensive cities in all of America. Because of this, groceries and hotels will cost you more than they would in lots of other places in the US.
Despite the tough cost of living, the quality of life in San Diego means people are willing to put up with the steep prices. With the sunny weather and the chance to experience city and beach life, people continue to flock to San Diego for their holidays.
Does San Diego get natural disasters?
Yes, San Diego does experience natural disasters like wildfires, earthquakes and floods. While San Diego gets fewer earthquakes than other parts of California, it's still considered earthquake country. San Diego also gets wildfires, which are most common during the dry season (June to October) and floods, which may happen during its wet season (December to March).
Although in parts of San Diego, there is always a risk of natural disaster, fatalities are rare. By ensuring you research the specific area you'll be staying in, pay attention to the weather before your trip, and carry emergency supplies with you (first-aid), you can make sure that you're prepared.
How big is San Diego?
San Diego is California's second-largest city by area and population.
It's located towards the south of the state and it's bordered by Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. It has an area of 964.5 km².
As of mid-2025, San Diego has a population of around 3.2 million. This puts it on a 0.22% decline since the previous year. The reason for its decrease is because with the high cost of living, people are choosing to migrate to other parts of America where goods and housing are less expensive.