Cheap Flights from RDU to DCA: When to Fly from Raleigh to Washington

The cheapest times to fly from RDU to DCA are

• August 6th to February 25th (except the weeks of August 13th, October 1st, November 19th, and November 26th)

based on data collected exclusively by Champion Traveler across tens of millions of flights. Among all the dates above, the very cheapest time to fly from RDU to DCA is late January. Prices can be as high as $302 for Sunday flights during late March, or as low as $112 for Tuesday flights around late January.

When to Fly to Washington

Flying from Raleigh/Durham, NC (RDU) to Washington, DC (DCA) will usually cost between $112 to $238 per person if booking more than four weeks in advance. On average the very cheapest time to fly is late January with an average ticket price of $138. Due to high demand the most expensive time to fly is late March, with an average price of $216. Planning your trip to low-cost times can easily save you $78 on economy flights and even more on first-class flights. Generally, any price below $159 can be considered a good price for a round-trip RDU to DCA flight.

See below for a graph of average weekly prices for the RDU to DCA route. All prices are for round-trip tickets in USD.

Compared to other flights, the RDU to DCA flight is much cheaper than the average and costs much less than the average flight leaving from Raleigh. The average price per mile (for a direct flight) is $0.44, which is a bit above average.

Flight Prices by Day of the Week

Tuesday is usually the cheapest day to depart and return on this flight. Sundays are the most expensive days to fly out or take a return trip. Selecting flights on the least expensive days could save you up to $74 (37%) on this flight.

Departing prices are for round-trip flights returning on the day of departure. For example, a flight departing on Tuesday and returning a week later will cost an average of $126. Return trip prices are from the DCA to RDU flight, and often highlight the quality of our data in showing the same trend.

Nonstop Flights and Layovers

Travelers looking to fly from RDU to DCA can generally find a 0-layover flight. Because there is a direct flight option the real-world direct flight time of 1 hour 23 minutes may be realistic.

Alternative Nearby Airports

Champion Traveler tells you which airports are nearby and whether tickets might be cheaper alternative airports nearby. Sometimes it’s worth it to fly into a closer airport and then commute to your destination. Remember that there is a nonstop flight from RDU to DCA while comparing.

Flight Questions Answered

Still have questions about flying from RDU to DCA? We’ve got answers.

Which airlines fly this route?

You can find 11 major airlines flying this route most often: American, Delta, Emirates, Frontier, Hawaiian, Iberia, JetBlue, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Southwest, United, and potentially more during busy seasons.

How far away is it from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport?

The distance between the two airports is roughly 227 miles or 365 kilometers.

How long does it take to fly from RDU to DCA?

The real-world flight time for a nonstop RDU to DCA flight is about 1 hour 23 minutes.

How many flights go between Raleigh/Durham, NC and Washington, DC?

It depends on the day of the week and the date, but a typical day might have around 61 available flights from RDU to DCA.

Airport Location Info

Late and Early Flight Data

Flights from RDU to DCA tend to depart much later than the average flight. According to our recently updated data, 45% of flights departed 5 or more minutes late, and 18% of flights left 5 or more minutes early. On average you can expect to leave DCA heading for RDU about 31 minutes late. This does significantly impact arrival time, as the average landing time in Washington, DC is about 24 minutes late. The numbers below show a recent average of take-off times versus the scheduled departure flight:

• American: 9 minutes early
• Republic: 5 minutes early
• PSA: 32 minutes late
• Endeavor: 33 minutes late
• Some airlines not reporting

Please note that while we’ve worked hard to analyzed tens of millions of flights to get you this data, we do not calculate current live prices or guarantee pricing. Please see our partners using the links above for current offers.