HomeSearch by dateVacation packagesHotelsFlight dealsCar rentalTravel tips & news
Philadelphia

$79+ Cheap flights from San Diego to Philadelphia (SAN - PHL)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 8/20. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SAN — PHL
Jul 30 — Aug 61
Wed 7/30
Wed 8/6
1 adult, Economy
We work with more than 300 partners to bring you better travel deals

Find cheap flights from San Diego to Philadelphia with Cheapflights

1. Tell us where you want to go

Enter your travel information like dates, passengers, trip type (one-way or round trip), and preferred cabin class then click “Find deals”

2. Select your favorite providers

We find the providers serving your travel needs. Choose up to four travel providers to compare side-by-side for flights, hotels, or car rentals.

3. Compare prices and book

Review each provider’s pricing and select the best option for you! Book through your favorite provider’s website for a seamless experience.

Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Diego to Philadelphia are usually found in April or May, booked 80 days in advance, depart on a Wednesday or Thursday and return on a Tuesday

Cheap flight deals from San Diego to Philadelphia

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Diego (SAN) to Philadelphia (PHL). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated July 25, 2025.

Round-trip from

$216
(Mytrip)

One-way from

$79
(FlightHub)

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

April

Average price

$465

Good round-trip deal

$392 or less

Good one-way deal

$218 or less
From San Diego to Philadelphia
Search Deals
One-way flight from San Diego to Philadelphia
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 7% potential increase in price ($36 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($7 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in July 2025
Search Deals
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from San Diego to Philadelphia.
Search Deals
Price to beat on a one-way flight from San Diego to Philadelphia.
Search Deals

Find flight deals from San Diego to Philadelphia

Cheapest flights from San Diego to Philadelphia
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Diego to Philadelphia. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on July 25, 2025.

This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/23. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/156:15 amSAN - PHL
1 stop14h 44mSpirit Airlines
Tue 8/197:00 amPHL - SAN
2 stops27h 21mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 7/23$216
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/24. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/167:06 pmSAN - PHL
1 stop7h 50mMultiple Airlines
Wed 8/209:00 amPHL - SAN
1 stop11h 56mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 7/24$221
This Cheapflightsfares deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/24. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Cheapflightsfares is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/67:04 pmSAN - PHL
1 stop7h 45mFrontier
Wed 8/136:15 amPHL - SAN
1 stop19h 47mFrontier
Deal found 7/24$255
This JetBlue deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/23. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure JetBlue is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/39:35 pmSAN - PHL
1 stop8h 47mJetBlue
Sun 10/56:50 amPHL - SAN
1 stop8h 52mJetBlue
Deal found 7/23$273

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from San Diego to Philadelphia that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 25, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Diego to Philadelphia that are best for you.

Fly from

San Diego

Fly to

Philadelphia

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Fri 8/15

6:15 am-11:59 pm

1 stop14h 44m

Philadelphia

Tue 8/19

7:00 am-7:21 am

2 stops27h 21m

$216

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Sat 8/16

7:06 pm-5:56 am

1 stop7h 50m

Philadelphia

Wed 8/20

9:00 am-5:56 pm

1 stop11h 56m

$221

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Wed 8/6

7:04 pm-5:49 am

1 stop7h 45m

Philadelphia

Wed 8/13

6:15 am-11:02 pm

1 stop19h 47m

$255

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Fri 10/3

9:35 pm-9:22 am

1 stop8h 47m

Philadelphia

Sun 10/5

6:50 am-12:42 pm

1 stop8h 52m

$273

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Thu 8/7

9:40 pm-5:27 pm

1 stop16h 47m

$85

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Wed 8/6

7:04 pm-5:49 am

1 stop7h 45m

$128

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Tue 8/19

6:20 am-2:55 pm

Nonstop5h 35m

$144

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Fri 8/22

6:25 am-9:56 am

2 stops24h 31m

$146

San DiegoPhiladelphia

SAN - PHL

SANPHL

San Diego

Sun 10/5

8:55 pm-9:22 am

1 stop9h 27m

$147

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 7/23

The best insider tips for San Diego to Philadelphia flights

Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of Cheapflights-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.
Cheapflights partnered with top experts to bring you the best recommendations for your San Diego to Philadelphia trip
Airports
SAN

Plan to arrive at SAN at least two hours before your flight to avoid stress from potential traffic congestion.

Read more about SANby Blane Bachelor
PHL

Use SEPTA for a quick trip to Center City Philadelphia from PHL. Stations are conveniently located near arrival gates.

Read more about PHLby Mark Chesnut
Our travel experts
Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SAN

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Read more
Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on PHL

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

Best time to book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Philadelphia from San Diego with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from San Diego to Philadelphia

How far ahead should I book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from San Diego to Philadelphia. Price data was last updated on July 18, 2025.

Booking 70 days in advance of your planned departure date is, on average, the best time to get cheap flights from San Diego to Philadelphia. The general trend is that the closer you book to the departure date, the more expensive your flight will be.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia?

Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia (average of $236). Flying from San Diego to Philadelphia in March is currently the most expensive (average of $295). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SAN to PHL?

Find hourly flight availability from San Diego to Philadelphia. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated July 25, 2025.

It’s typically best to fly out from San Diego to Philadelphia in the afternoon. Doing so could potentially save you 59% on the flight price compared to flying in the morning, which is usually more expensive.

What is the cheapest day to fly from San Diego to Philadelphia?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from San Diego to Philadelphia. Price data was last updated on July 20, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their San Diego to Philadelphia flight should consider departing on Saturday afternoons when fares are most often at their lowest. Sunday mornings flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Weekly flight availability from San Diego to Philadelphia

Explore weekly flight availability from San Diego to Philadelphia. Discover flights operating on different days of the week, giving you the flexibility to choose a travel day that best fits your plans. Compare info to find the most convenient option for your journey. Data last updated July 25, 2025.

The most flights from SAN to PHL are scheduled on a Monday (8 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Monday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (8 on average).

Reviews of airlines servicing Philadelphia

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Philadelphia. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Philadelphia. Reviews last updated July 25, 2025.
Peruse reviews from past customers who have flown with Southwest, JetBlue, and American Airlines from San Diego to Philadelphia to help guide your decision. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.
JetBlue
7.3
Good
2,912 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
10,000 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.
Spirit Airlines
6.3
Okay
8,038 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.
Frontier
5.9
Fair
3,244 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,235 reviews

Food

7.0

Boarding

8.1

Crew

8.6

Overall

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.6

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Merlyn,Feb 2025

LAX - SMF

New Terminal is neat, lost of stores and places to catch a bite.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Diego to Philadelphia. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airports do I use to fly from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    If you wish to fly to Philadelphia from San Diego, then you need to book flights from San Diego to Philadelphia. There are 8 flights from San Diego (SAN) to Philadelphia (PHL) per day to choose from. Flights to Philadelphia from San Diego are available from 6 different airlines, which means you should have some options if you want to compare airfare deals. 5h 03m is how long a nonstop flight from San Diego to Philadelphia typically takes.

  • How popular is this San Diego to Philadelphia flight route?

    Within the past month, 8 users have taken a look at flights from San Diego to Philadelphia.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from San Diego to Philadelphia round-trip?

    According to our current data, Spirit Airlines ($216), Frontier ($255), and JetBlue ($273) offers the cheapest pricing from San Diego to Philadelphia. Users have found that Spirit Airlines is 51% cheaper than the other options available to this destination.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from San Diego to Philadelphia one-way?

    One-way options have recently been found by users for as low as $79 on Spirit Airlines. Other airlines that offer cheap prices include Frontier from $129 and American Airlines from $144 one-way.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    The top 3 most reliable airlines when flying from San Diego to Philadelphia are American Airlines (78%), British Airways (77%) and Iberia (74%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $150. While the most popular route (San Diego - Philadelphia) can be booked for $168 on average our data indicates $1,551 when flying from San Diego to Philadelphia.

  • Where are the most common layover locations when flying from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    San Diego to Philadelphia flights have a layover in Denver most often.

  • What are some popular things to do or see while on a layover in Denver?

    Coors Field, 16th Street Mall, and Paramount Theatre are currently the most popular points of interest in Denver at the moment. Coors Field, 16th Street Mall and Paramount Theatre are located about 18.4 mi, 18.7 mi, and 18.6 mi, respectively from Denver Intl if you are interested in checking them out. Those landing in Denver looking to spend some time exploring during their layover can rent a car for about $64 per day.

  • Where are the least popular layover locations for San Diego to Philadelphia flights?

    Flights departing from San Diego and landing in Philadelphia layover in Las Vegas least frequently.

  • Can I find deals for flights from San Diego to Philadelphia that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on San Diego to Philadelphia flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from San Diego to Philadelphia.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Diego to Philadelphia by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia?

    Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Diego to Philadelphia (average of $236). Flying from San Diego to Philadelphia in March is currently the most expensive (average of $295). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Philadelphia?

Book flights to Philadelphia if you plan to visit one of these locations
Vineland
Wildwood
King of Prussia
Pottstown
Cherry Hill
Ocean City
Chester
Millville
Reading
Ephrata
Camden
Dewey Beach
Dover
Elkton
Essington
Willow Grove
Newark
Exton
Glen Mills
Springfield

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.

Alternative routes for San Diego to Philadelphia

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
Los Angeles to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Los Angeles to Newark flights
San Francisco to Newark flights
San Francisco to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Los Angeles to LaGuardia flights
Ontario to John F Kennedy Intl flights
San Francisco to LaGuardia flights
Burbank to Newark flights
Ontario to Newark flights
Los Angeles to Reagan-National flights
Santa Ana to Newark flights
San Diego to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Santa Ana to LaGuardia flights
Los Angeles to Dulles Intl flights
Oakland to Newark flights
Burbank to LaGuardia flights
San Diego to Newark flights
San Francisco to Dulles Intl flights
Ontario to LaGuardia flights
San Francisco to Reagan-National flights
Santa Ana to John F Kennedy Intl flights
San Jose to Newark flights
Oakland to LaGuardia flights
San Francisco to Philadelphia flights
San Diego to LaGuardia flights
San Jose to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Sacramento to John F Kennedy Intl flights
San Jose to LaGuardia flights
Los Angeles to Philadelphia flights
San Diego to Dulles Intl flights
Las Vegas to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Ontario to Dulles Intl flights
Sacramento to Newark flights
Burbank to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Oakland to John F Kennedy Intl flights
Las Vegas to Newark flights
San Diego to Reagan-National flights
Las Vegas to LaGuardia flights
Ontario to Reagan-National flights
Los Angeles to Pittsburgh flights
Las Vegas to Pittsburgh flights
Ontario to Philadelphia flights
Sacramento to LaGuardia flights
Sacramento to Dulles Intl flights
Ontario to Pittsburgh flights
San Francisco to Pittsburgh flights
Burbank to Philadelphia flights
San Jose to Dulles Intl flights
Las Vegas to Reagan-National flights

Top 6 airlines flying from San Diego to Philadelphia

Discover the top 6 airlines that operate flights from San Diego to Philadelphia. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 25, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Spirit AirlinesCheapest$126Average$255FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time65%
FrontierCheapest$149Average$230FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
SouthwestCheapest$231Average$495FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%
United AirlinesCheapest$247Average$428FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
DeltaCheapest$256Average$345FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$289Average$472FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%

100% Free

Cheapflights is completely free to use, so you can start saving the moment you arrive.

Book with Flexibility

Our users can plan ahead with confidence and find flights with no change fees

Travel Smart

Millions of people come to us for their flight needs every year. We help make travel planning easy by providing useful insights and data-driven graphs that can inform your decisions.