Washington to Los Angeles (DCA–LAX) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

DCA Airport Page →
2,306 mi airlines charter/private 92/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 23 flights Verified 23m ago
Also flown by charter / private operators.
Nonstop Charter / private 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight Hide codeshares
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
AA1966+5
AA American
B38M
8:29 AM
EDT T2
11:10 AM
PDT
5h 41m
41%
M T W T F S S
Prices
QF3275cs
QF Qant
32Q
8:30 AM
EDT T2
11:26 AM
PDT
5h 56m
M T W T F S S
Prices
MH9441cs
MH Malaysia
32Q
8:30 AM
EDT T2
11:26 AM
PDT
5h 56m
M T W T F S S
Prices
JL7602cs
JL Japan
32Q
8:31 AM
EDT T2
11:39 AM
PDT
6h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
QF3647cs
QF Qant
73H
9:59 AM
EDT T2
12:38 PM
PDT
5h 39m
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE6082cs
KE Korean
73H
9:59 AM
EDT T2
12:59 PM
PDT
6h
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS5+4
AS Alaska
738
9:59 AM
EDT T2
12:27 PM
PDT
5h 28m
M T W T F S S
Prices
QF4300cs
QF Qant
B38M
4:59 PM
EDT T2
7:45 PM
PDT
5h 46m
M T W T F S S
Prices
MH9433cs
MH Malaysia
738
4:59 PM
EDT T2
7:45 PM
PDT
5h 46m
M T W T F S S
Prices
PR3908cs
PR Philippine
B38M
4:59 PM
EDT T2
7:45 PM
PDT
5h 46m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA880+2
AA American
7M8
5:16 PM
EDT T2
7:55 PM
PDT
5h 39m
41%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3283+1
AA American
7M8
6:01 PM
EDT T2
8:41 PM
PDT
5h 40m
41%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL392
DL Delta
75W
6:35 PM
EDT T2
8:56 PM
PDT
5h 21m
38%
M T W T F S S
Prices
MH9485+2
MH Malaysia
B38M
7:48 AM
PDT T4
3:52 PM
EDT
5h 4m
58%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3283+1
AA American
7M8
8:26 AM
PDT TB
4:30 PM
EDT
5h 4m
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
DL392
DL Delta
75W
9:38 AM
PDT T2
5:32 PM
EDT
4h 54m
54%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS6+4
AS Alaska
73H
11:48 AM
PDT T6
8:00 PM
EDT
5h 12m
26%
M T W T F S S
Prices
QF3646cs
QF Qant
73H
11:48 AM
PDT T6
8:00 PM
EDT
5h 12m
39%
M T W T F S S
Prices
KE6081cs
KE Korean
73H
11:53 AM
PDT T6
8:00 PM
EDT
5h 7m
52%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA591+2
AA American
B38M
12:15 PM
PDT T4
8:15 PM
EDT
5h
46%
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS28
AS Alaska
73H
12:20 PM
PDT T6
8:32 PM
EDT
5h 12m
26%
M T W T F S S
Prices
MH9332cs
MH Malaysia
A21N
12:32 PM
PDT T4
8:35 PM
EDT
5h 3m
58%
M T W T F S S
Prices
PR3916cs
PR Philippine
A21N
12:32 PM
PDT TB
8:35 PM
EDT
5h 3m
48%
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

✦ 1-Stop connections via 10 hubs
MDW Chicago 7h WN WN Chicago (MDW) to Los Angeles flights
STL St Louis 7h 7m AAWN AAASCX St Louis (STL) to Los Angeles flights
MCI Kansas City 7h 7m AAASWN AFAMDL Kansas City (MCI) to Los Angeles flights
OKC Oklahoma City 7h 11m AAWN AAASFJ Oklahoma City (OKC) to Los Angeles flights
DTW Detroit 7h 13m AAAFAM AFAMDL Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles flights
BNA Nashville 7h 13m AADLWN AAAFAM Nashville (BNA) to Los Angeles flights
PHX Phoenix 7h 14m AA AAACAF Phoenix (PHX) to Los Angeles flights
LAS Las Vegas 7h 14m AAWN AAACAF Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles flights
DAL Dallas 7h 15m JTLWN LXJUAWN Dallas (DAL) to Los Angeles flights
IND Indianapolis 7h 20m AAAS AAAFAS Indianapolis (IND) to Los Angeles flights
1-STOP More options, longer trips
2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Washington to Los Angeles
3 carriers, 92 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines 2,306 mi 5h 44m nonstop -3h behind

DCA–LAX is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines lead the route. The flight covers 2,306 miles in approximately 5h 44m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop DCA–LAX service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
AA American Airlines Also: JL, MH, PR, QF 21 7M8, B38M 5h39-5h41 70% Oneworld JL, MH, PR, QF
AS Alaska Airlines Also: KE, QF 7 738 5h28 70% Oneworld KE, QF
DL Delta Air Lines 7 75W 5h21 70% SkyTeam
Aircraft on this route
32Q Airbus A321neo – JL, MH, QF
738 Boeing 737-800 – AS, MH
73H Boeing 737-800 (Winglets) – KE, QF
75W Boeing 757-200 Winglets – DL
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – AA
B38M Boeing 737 MAX 8 – AA, PR, QF
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA + AS (28 flights/wk, 80%)
SkyTeam: DL (7 flights/wk, 20%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, DCA to LAX direction.
Mon
13
flights
Tue
13
flights
Wed
13
flights
Thu
13
flights
Fri
13
flights
Sat
13
flights
Sun
13
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
13
Nonstop flights
92
Outbound / wk
65
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DCA to LAX.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
65
Hubs
~7h
Fastest
~19h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
4,019
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
DCA → LAX
70%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
70%
Arriving
85%
Return
LAX → DCA
82%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
82%
Arriving
89%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. DCA delays → LAX delays →

Other ways to reach Los Angeles from Washington

Nearby airports with service to Los Angeles International Airport.
Metric DCA→LAX IAD→LAX BWI→LAX
Distance from DCA 23 mi 30 mi
Nonstop airlines 3 18 8
Weekly flights 92 174 67
Flight time 5h 44m 5h 5h 13m
Departure OTP 70%
Airports within 200 miles of DCA with service to Los Angeles International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-3h
Los Angeles is 3 hours behind Washington.
DCA: EDT · LAX: PDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Washington, it's 3:00 PM in Los Angeles.
Distance & Flight Time
2,306 mi / 3,711 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 5h 44m gate to gate.
Getting to DCA

The DC Metro (Yellow and Blue lines) connects the airport directly to downtown Washington in 15–25 minutes from most central stations ($2.25–$3.85 depending on distance and time of day). The Reagan National Airport station is inside the terminal complex with a direct indoor walkway. Metro runs from about 05:00 to midnight Sunday–Thursday, and until 01:00 on Friday–Saturday.Taxis and Uber/Lyft from the city centre cost $15–30 depending on destination and traffic. DCA is one of the most transit-accessible major US airports. Driving is straightforward via the George Washington Memorial Parkway; short-term parking at the terminal costs from $5 for 20 minutes. No personal vehicles are allowed to idle at arrivals; use the cell-phone lot or commercial pick-up zones.

Getting from LAX

LAX has no direct rail link to downtown. The closest option is the free LAX Shuttle G to the Metro C Line station at Aviation/Century Blvd (fare $1.75 to Union Station, 40–50 min). Taxis use a meter; expect $35–55 to downtown and $30–45 to Santa Monica. Ride-shares cost $20–45 depending on destination and surge pricing.Rental car facilities are a short shuttle ride from terminals. FlyAway buses run to Union Station, Van Nuys, Hollywood, and Westwood ($9.75–11.25). For LAX Connect (the new people mover to Inglewood), check if it has opened at time of travel.

Los Angeles Climate

Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm and dry (24–30°C) with low humidity and almost no rain. Winters are mild (10–18°C) with occasional rain from November through March. Fog ("June Gloom") is common from late May through July, blanketing mornings until noon and causing departure delays.

Santa Ana winds occur in fall and spring, sometimes grounding departures briefly. Heat waves in September–October can push temperatures above 38°C inland, though LAX itself stays cooler near the coast.

DCA–LAX Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Washington to Los Angeles route.
Route details
Distance2,306 mi / 3,711 km
Flight time5h 44m
Time difference-3 hours
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights92 out / 65 return
1-stop connectionsAvailable
Origin: DCA
IATA / ICAODCA / KDCA
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr25.5M
Elevation15 ft / 5 m
Destination: LAX
IATA / ICAOLAX / KLAX
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr76.6M
Elevation125 ft / 38 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DCA to LAX flights.
Nonstop flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport take about 5h 44m gate to gate. The route covers 2,306 miles.
3 airlines operate flights from DCA to LAX: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
This route has frequent daily service. Check the schedule above for departure days and times in each direction.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available, ranked by layover time. Common connecting points include Chicago Midway, St. Louis Lambert and Kansas City.
Los Angeles is 3 hours behind Washington.
Yes, return flights from LAX to DCA are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include IAD, BWI and RIC. 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 DCA to LAX

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines. With 92 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

DCA to LAX Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from DCA to LAX is about 5 hours 44 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 2,306 miles (3,711 km). There are approximately 92 weekly flights outbound and 65 return, totaling 157 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Chicago Midway, St. Louis Lambert and Kansas City. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Dulles (IAD), Baltimore (BWI) and Richmond (RIC).