Houston to Washington (HOU–DCA) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

HOU Airport Page →
1,217 mi airlines 41/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 17 flights Verified 11h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
WN595
WN Southwest
738
5:35 AM
CDT T4
9:20 AM
EDT
2h 45m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3702
WN Southwest
7M8
8:15 AM
CDT
12:10 PM
EDT
2h 55m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3137
WN Southwest
7M8
8:25 AM
CDT T5
12:15 PM
EDT
2h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3324
WN Southwest
B38M
11:05 AM
CDT T4
2:55 PM
EDT
2h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3862
WN Southwest
7M8
2:10 PM
CDT
6:05 PM
EDT
2h 55m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN516
WN Southwest
7S7
2:30 PM
CDT T2
6:20 PM
EDT
2h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN987
WN Southwest
7S7
6:14 PM
CDT
10:22 PM
EDT
3h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3457
WN Southwest
7M8
7:05 PM
CDT
11:00 PM
EDT
2h 55m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3716
WN Southwest
7M8
8:00 PM
CDT
11:55 PM
EDT
2h 55m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2477
WN Southwest
7M8
6:00 AM
EDT T1
8:40 AM
CDT
3h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN1729
WN Southwest
7S7
6:00 AM
EDT T1
8:30 AM
CDT
3h 30m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN12
WN Southwest
7S7
6:00 AM
EDT T1
8:40 AM
CDT
3h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3220
WN Southwest
7M8
1:10 PM
EDT T1
3:35 PM
CDT
3h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN1541
WN Southwest
B38M
1:37 PM
EDT T1
3:45 PM
CDT
3h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3825
WN Southwest
7M8
6:40 PM
EDT T1
9:15 PM
CDT
3h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN64
WN Southwest
7S7
6:50 PM
EDT T1
9:25 PM
CDT
3h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN1731
WN Southwest
7S7
6:55 PM
EDT T1
9:20 PM
CDT
3h 25m
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...
Houston to Washington
1 carrier, 41 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 41 Flights/wk 1,217 mi 2h 45m nonstop +1h ahead 71 1-stop hubs

HOU–DCA is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Southwest Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 1,217 miles in approximately 2h 45m. Beyond nonstop, 71 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop HOU–DCA service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
WN Southwest Airlines 41 738, 7M8, 7S7, B38M 2h45-3h08 60%
Aircraft on this route
738 Boeing 737-800 – WN
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – WN
7S7 Boeing 737 MAX 7 – WN
B38MWN
Alliance coverage
Unaffiliated: WN (41 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, HOU to DCA direction.
Mon
6
flights
Tue
6
flights
Wed
6
flights
Thu
6
flights
Fri
6
flights
Sat
5
flights
Sun
6
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
9
Nonstop flights
41
Outbound / wk
41
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for HOU to DCA.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
71
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~30h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,291
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
HOU → DCA
60%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
60%
Arriving
50%
Return
DCA → HOU
53%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
53%
Arriving
72%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. HOU delays → DCA delays →

Other ways to reach Washington from Houston

Nearby airports with service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Metric HOU→DCA IAH→DCA AUS→DCA
Distance from HOU 24 mi 148 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 3 1
Weekly flights 41 105 14
Flight time 2h 45m 2h 50m 3h
Departure OTP 60%
Airports within 200 miles of HOU with service to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+1h
Washington is 1 hour ahead of Houston.
HOU: CDT · DCA: EDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Houston, it's 7:00 PM in Washington.
Distance & Flight Time
1,217 mi / 1,959 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 45m to 3h 8m.
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.

HOU–DCA Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Houston to Washington route.
Route details
Distance1,217 mi / 1,959 km
Flight time2h 45m to 3h 8m
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights41 out / 41 return
1-stop connections71 hubs
Origin: HOU
IATA / ICAOHOU / KHOU
TimezoneAmerica/Indiana/Tell_City
Passengers/yr14.2M
Elevation46 ft / 14 m
Destination: DCA
IATA / ICAODCA / KDCA
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr25.5M
Elevation15 ft / 5 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HOU to DCA flights.
Nonstop flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport take approximately 2h 45m to 3h 8m. The route covers 1,217 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Southwest Airlines.
There are approximately 41 nonstop flights per week from HOU to DCA. The return direction has about 41 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through IAD, AVL, CRW, GSP, IAH, CLE, MMU, HPN, ILM, NAS, RSW, BUF, ICT, PHL, DSM, SRQ, EWR, ALB, YYZ, SYR, BDL, MHT, YOW, OMA, MSP, GRR, SEA, SJC, SJU, SFO, PBI, TUL, IND, OKC, PNS, CHS, MCO, AUS, MDW, ATL, LIT, STL, BNA, MSY, MEM, JAN, DAL, MCI, TPA, DFW, RDU, JAX, LGA, DEN, SAT, MIA, SDF, VPS, ECP, PHX, FLL, BHM, PIT, LAX, SAN, CMH, PDX, LAS, SAV, BTR and SLC. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Washington is 1 hour ahead of Houston.
Yes, return flights from DCA to HOU are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include IAH and AUS. 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 HOU to DCA

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) are connected by nonstop service from Southwest Airlines. With 41 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

HOU to DCA Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from HOU to DCA ranges from 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 8 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,217 miles (1,959 km). There are approximately 41 weekly flights outbound and 41 return, totaling 82 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

71 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 4 hours via IAD. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Houston (IAH) and Austin (AUS).