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$110+ Cheap flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego (DTW - SAN)

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 10/14. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DTW — SAN
Oct 17 — Oct 241
Fri 10/17
Fri 10/24
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego are usually found in August or July, booked 23 days in advance, depart on a Friday or Thursday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from Detroit to San Diego

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Detroit (DTW) to San Diego (SAN). 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 September 17, 2025.

Round-trip from

$170
(Booking.com)

One-way from

$110
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

March

Cheapest in

August

Average price

$364

Good round-trip deal

$398 or less

Good one-way deal

$190 or less
From Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego
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One-way flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 15% potential increase in price ($78 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($13 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in September 2025
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego.
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego.
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Find flight deals from Detroit to San Diego

Cheapest flights from Detroit to San Diego
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Detroit to San Diego. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on September 17, 2025.

This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/226:00 amDTW - SAN
1 stop20h 50mFrontier
Thu 10/306:25 amSAN - DTW
1 stop9h 08mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$170
This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/17. 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 Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 11/29:05 pmDTW - SAN
1 stop17h 12mFrontier
Thu 11/66:25 amSAN - DTW
1 stop9h 08mFrontier
Deal found 9/17$176
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 10/118:18 pmDTW - SAN
1 stop25h 10mFrontier
Fri 10/177:43 pmSAN - DTW
1 stop20h 50mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$180
This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 10/48:00 amDTW - SAN
1 stop17h 24mFrontier
Wed 10/86:41 amSAN - DTW
1 stop15h 18mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$181
This Priceline deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/16. 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 Priceline is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 10/305:14 pmDTW - SAN
1 stop9h 36mFrontier
Thu 11/66:25 amSAN - DTW
1 stop9h 08mFrontier
Deal found 9/16$186
This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 10/156:00 amDTW - SAN
1 stop20h 50mFrontier
Wed 10/226:41 amSAN - DTW
1 stop15h 18mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$188
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 10/147:55 amDTW - SAN
1 stop18h 55mFrontier
Fri 10/247:43 pmSAN - DTW
1 stop20h 50mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$190
This Priceline deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Priceline is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 11/131:44 pmDTW - SAN
1 stop11h 30mFrontier
Fri 11/146:41 amSAN - DTW
1 stop6h 38mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$191
This Booking.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Booking.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/66:10 amDTW - SAN
1 stop20h 43mFrontier
Sat 10/187:00 amSAN - DTW
1 stop14h 59mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$193
This Frontier deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 Frontier is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/66:10 amDTW - SAN
1 stop7h 59mFrontier
Sat 10/112:24 pmSAN - DTW
1 stop7h 35mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$195
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 9/15. 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 CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 11/61:44 pmDTW - SAN
1 stop11h 30mFrontier
Wed 11/122:24 pmSAN - DTW
1 stop22h 55mFrontier
Deal found 9/15$197

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Detroit to San Diego 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 September 17, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego that are best for you.

Fly from

Detroit

Fly to

San Diego

Route

Depart

Return

Price

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 10/24

5:12 pm-11:05 pm

1 stop8h 53m

San Diego

Mon 10/27

6:38 pm-3:55 pm

1 stop18h 17m

$281

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 11/14

4:51 pm-8:40 am

2 stops18h 49m

San Diego

Wed 11/19

3:45 pm-3:55 pm

2 stops21h 10m

$385

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Thu 10/23

5:12 pm-8:45 am

2 stops18h 33m

San Diego

Fri 10/31

1:52 pm-3:55 pm

1 stop23h 03m

$400

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 11/14

4:51 pm-8:40 am

2 stops18h 49m

San Diego

Tue 11/18

2:03 pm-3:55 pm

2 stops22h 52m

$405

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Thu 10/9

6:00 am-3:50 pm

1 stop12h 50m

San Diego

Tue 10/14

4:07 pm-10:28 pm

2 stops27h 21m

$406

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Thu 11/6

6:25 am-11:30 am

2 stops8h 05m

San Diego

Tue 11/11

11:45 am-10:40 pm

2 stops7h 55m

$407

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Sat 11/8

7:00 am-1:25 pm

2 stops9h 25m

San Diego

Tue 11/11

9:55 am-9:45 pm

2 stops8h 50m

$407

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Fri 11/14

4:51 pm-8:40 am

2 stops18h 49m

San Diego

Sat 11/15

2:03 pm-3:55 pm

2 stops22h 52m

$425

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Mon 11/24

7:13 am-2:45 pm

1 stop10h 32m

San Diego

Tue 12/2

8:59 pm-4:45 pm

2 stops16h 46m

$426

DetroitSan Diego

DTW - SAN

DTWSAN

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

Tue 10/28

7:55 am-1:28 pm

1 stop8h 33m

$112

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 9/16

Showing 1-10 of 19 results
1
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The best insider tips for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego trip
Airports
DTW

Security lines at DTW are short, with waits rarely exceeding 10 minutes in McNamara Terminal, making it convenient for early morning flights.

Read more about DTWby Brandon Schultz
SAN

For a quick ride to downtown San Diego, consider a taxi or rideshare from SAN, but plan for potential traffic congestion.

Read more about SANby Blane Bachelor
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
Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz

Expert on DTW

Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz

Brandon Schultz is an award-winning food and travel writer based in New York City. His work has appeared in Forbes, AAA, Thrillist, Travel + Leisure, and The Daily Meal, among many others, and he is the author of 6 books, including 3 cookbooks.

Read more

Best time to book a flight from Detroit to San Diego

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Diego from Detroit 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego

How far ahead should I book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Detroit to San Diego. Price data was last updated on September 12, 2025.

The best time to book flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego is 23 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). 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 DTW to SAN?

Find hourly flight availability from Detroit to San Diego. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated September 17, 2025.

Unlike in the evening, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 39% on flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego by exploring options for tickets at noon.

What is the cheapest day to fly from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from Detroit to San Diego. Price data was last updated on September 14, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego flight should consider departing on Thursday at noon when fares are most often at their lowest. Sunday afternoons flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Reviews of airlines servicing San Diego

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San Diego. 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 San Diego. Reviews last updated September 17, 2025.
Peruse reviews from past customers who have flown with Southwest, Delta, and American Airlines from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego 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
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,961 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
10,000 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Spirit Airlines
6.3
Okay
8,023 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Frontier
5.8
Fair
3,173 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,242 reviews

Comfort

8.0

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Entertainment

7.5

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Detroit to San Diego. 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 Detroit to San Diego?

    Booking a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) to San Diego (SAN) is your only option if you wish to fly from Detroit to San Diego. On a typical day, there are 7 flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego, all of which are around 4h 46m for a nonstop flight. You can also purchase a plane ticket from 6 airlines when you book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County to San Diego.

  • How long is the flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

    Airlines like Alaska Airlines fly from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego in about 8h 53m. The time it takes to get you to your destination can typically vary by up to . The distance from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego is about 1952 mi.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego round-trip?

    Our cheapest airline available from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego is Spirit Airlines. Our recent data shows that you can find tickets from as low as $107 on this airline. Additional options worth looking into are Frontier and American Airlines, starting at $138 and $190 round-trip. Spirit Airlines is priced at 74% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

    No one likes to see their flight delayed. When booking a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego consider choosing Spirit Airlines (88%), KLM (85%) or Aeromexico (82%) as they are the most reliable in getting you off to your destination on time.

  • What are the cheapest flights from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

    While on average a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego is generally $501, our data shows the cheapest flight currently is $148. When looking at the most popular route, (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County - San Diego), you can expect to pay $220 for that flight.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Detroit to San Diego 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego?

    Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). 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 San Diego?

Book flights to San Diego if you plan to visit one of these locations
El Cajon
Chula Vista
La Mesa
Poway
Lemon Grove
Coronado
Imperial Beach
National City

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Alternative routes for Detroit to San Diego

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Top 6 airlines flying from Detroit to San Diego

Discover the top 6 airlines that operate flights from Detroit to San Diego. 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 September 17, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
Spirit AirlinesCheapest$107Average$228FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time65%
FrontierCheapest$138Average$247FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
American AirlinesCheapest$190Average$413FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$228Average$518FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
DeltaCheapest$299Average$535FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
SouthwestCheapest$368Average$519FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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