Which Washington, DC airport is cheapest?

Which Washington, DC Airport is Cheapest?

When planning a quick getaway from Washington, DC, choosing the right airport can make a big difference for your budget. We've looked at one-way fares to popular destinations to help you decide if Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), or Baltimore/Wash International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is your best bet.

DCA, IAD, or BWI: Where to Find the Best Deals

For many destinations, you'll find the lowest one-way fares from IAD or BWI. For example, a one-way flight to Miami can be as low as $18 from IAD (Frontier Airlines, direct) or $22 from BWI (Frontier Airlines, direct). Compare that to DCA, where the lowest fare to Miami is $69 (Frontier Airlines, not direct).

Similarly, for Chicago, BWI offers a direct flight for just $30 (Frontier Airlines), while IAD is $76 and DCA is $80 (both not direct). If you're heading to Orlando, BWI again leads with a direct flight for $23 (Frontier Airlines), compared to IAD at $41 (direct) and DCA at $70 (not direct).

However, DCA can be competitive for specific routes. For Atlanta, all three airports offer direct flights for similar low prices: $52 from DCA (Southwest Airlines) and $18 from IAD and BWI (Frontier Airlines). For Dallas, DCA offers a direct flight for $52 (Southwest Airlines), which is cheaper than IAD's direct flight at $58 (American Airlines) and BWI's non-direct flight at $71.

When to Consider a Farther Airport

While DCA is often the most convenient for those in the heart of Washington, DC, it doesn't always offer the cheapest one-way fares or the most direct options. DCA has 20 nonstop routes, IAD has 11, and BWI has 9. Even though DCA has more nonstop options, you'll often find that IAD and BWI provide significantly lower prices, even if it means a slightly longer drive to the airport.

For instance, to Fort Lauderdale, a direct flight from BWI is $31 (Frontier Airlines), and from IAD it's $38 (Frontier Airlines). From DCA, the lowest fare is $69 (jetBlue, not direct). The savings on these one-way fares can easily outweigh the extra travel time to BWI or IAD, especially if you're traveling on a budget and have a free weekend to spare.

However, for destinations like New York, the price difference might be less dramatic. A one-way flight from BWI is $68 (Frontier Airlines, not direct), from IAD is $72 (Frontier Airlines, not direct), and from DCA is $94 (American Airlines, direct). In such cases, the convenience of DCA might be worth the slightly higher fare if your time is limited.