Buffalo to Washington (BUF–DCA) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

BUF Airport Page →
296 mi airlines 48/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 16 flights Verified 52m ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AS4183
AS Alaska
CR7
5:19 AM
EDT
6:50 AM
EDT
1h 31m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5243
AA American
CR9
5:29 AM
EDT
7:00 AM
EDT
1h 31m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS6125
AS Alaska
E75
5:33 AM
EDT
7:00 AM
EDT
1h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5312
AA American
CR7
6:00 AM
EDT
7:27 AM
EDT
1h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA1912
AA American
319
6:19 AM
EDT
7:35 AM
EDT
1h 16m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5129
AA American
CR7
12:29 PM
EDT
2:00 PM
EDT
1h 31m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5531
AA American
CR7
12:44 PM
EDT
2:17 PM
EDT
1h 33m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3956
AA American
E70
5:29 PM
EDT
6:54 PM
EDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5129
AA American
CR7
10:46 AM
EDT T2
12:13 PM
EDT
1h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5531
AA American
CR7
10:47 AM
EDT T2
12:14 PM
EDT
1h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3956
AA American
E70
3:26 PM
EDT T2
4:52 PM
EDT
1h 26m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4542
AS Alaska
E75
7:50 PM
EDT T2
9:25 PM
EDT
1h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA1238
AA American
319
8:15 PM
EDT T2
9:34 PM
EDT
1h 19m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS6161
AS Alaska
319
8:15 PM
EDT T2
9:34 PM
EDT
1h 19m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5158
AA American
CR7
10:08 PM
EDT T2
11:31 PM
EDT
1h 23m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5243
AA American
CR7
10:15 PM
EDT T2
11:39 PM
EDT
1h 24m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Buffalo to Washington
2 carriers, 48 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 48 Flights/wk 296 mi 1h 16m nonstop 32 1-stop hubs

BUF–DCA is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. American Airlines and Alaska Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 296 miles in approximately 1h 16m. Beyond nonstop, 32 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop BUF–DCA service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
AA American Airlines 34 319, CR7, CR9, E70 1h16-1h33 100% Oneworld
AS Alaska Airlines 14 CR7, E75 1h27-1h31 100% Oneworld
Aircraft on this route
319 Airbus A319 – AA
CR7 Bombardier CRJ-700 – AA, AS
CR9 Bombardier CRJ-900 – AA
E70 Embraer 170 – AA
E75 Embraer E175 – AS
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA + AS (48 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, BUF to DCA direction.
Mon
7
flights
Tue
7
flights
Wed
7
flights
Thu
7
flights
Fri
7
flights
Sat
6
flights
Sun
7
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
8
Nonstop flights
48
Outbound / wk
45
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for BUF to DCA.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
32
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~26h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,603
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
BUF → DCA
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
100%
Return
DCA → BUF
0%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
0%
Arriving
100%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. BUF delays → DCA delays →

Other ways to reach Washington from Buffalo

Nearby airports with service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Metric BUF→DCA ROC→DCA YYZ→DCA
Distance from BUF 55 mi 68 mi
Nonstop airlines 2 2 4
Weekly flights 48 42 49
Flight time 1h 16m 1h 26m 1h 33m
Departure OTP 100%
Airports within 200 miles of BUF with service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
0h
Washington is 0 hours the same as Buffalo.
BUF: EDT · DCA: EDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Buffalo, it's 6:00 PM in Washington.
Distance & Flight Time
296 mi / 476 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 1h 16m to 1h 33m.
Getting from DCA

The Metro station is inside Terminal B/C with covered walkway access; Terminal A requires a short outdoor walk or shuttle. Yellow and Blue line trains run to downtown DC in 15–25 minutes for $2.25–$3.85.

Taxis and Uber/Lyft operate from designated pick-up zones outside each terminal; fares to downtown run $15–30. DCA serves the National Mall area and is well-positioned for the U.S. Capitol, Pentagon, and downtown offices. International arrivals clear customs at DCA only for pre-cleared flights; most international traffic uses IAD (Dulles). Rental cars are in a consolidated facility accessible by shuttle.

Washington Climate

Humid subtropical climate. Summers (June–August) are hot and very humid at 29–34°C with frequent afternoon thunderstorms causing ground stops and airspace flow programs. The summer storm season is the primary operational disruption risk at DCA. Spring and autumn are transitional with variable conditions and occasional severe thunderstorm outbreaks.

Winters (December–February) bring cold temperatures (−2 to 7°C) with occasional snowstorms that disproportionately affect the DC area due to limited snow-removal infrastructure. Even moderate snowfall (5–10 cm) can shut regional airports for hours. Pack layers for winter; the region's storm response is notoriously inconsistent.

BUF–DCA Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Buffalo to Washington route.
Route details
Distance296 mi / 476 km
Flight time1h 16m to 1h 33m
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights48 out / 45 return
1-stop connections32 hubs
Origin: BUF
IATA / ICAOBUF / KBUF
TimezoneAmerica/Detroit
Passengers/yr5.0M
Elevation728 ft / 222 m
Destination: DCA
IATA / ICAODCA / KDCA
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr25.5M
Elevation15 ft / 5 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about BUF to DCA flights.
Nonstop flights from Buffalo Niagara International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport take approximately 1h 16m to 1h 33m. The route covers 296 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
There are approximately 48 nonstop flights per week from BUF to DCA. The return direction has about 45 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through PIT, IAD, STL, MKE, YUL, MEM, ECP, MSP, PBI, OKC, SLC, EWR, PHL, JFK, DTW, LAS, DFW, MIA, BNA, CLT, MCO, LGA, ATL, ORD, BOS, MDW, TPA, FLL, RSW, DEN, PHX and SRQ. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Yes, return flights from DCA to BUF are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include ROC and YYZ. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from BUF to DCA

Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. With 48 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

BUF to DCA Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from BUF to DCA ranges from 1 hours 16 minutes to 1 hours 33 minutes. The route covers a distance of 296 miles (476 km). There are approximately 48 weekly flights outbound and 45 return, totaling 93 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

32 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 3 hours via PIT. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Rochester (ROC) and Toronto (YYZ).