easiest/cheapest routes between the Bay Area and DC
 

I'm trying to figure out the best routes between DC and San Francisco, and there are so many choices I'm trying to figure out the best. (cheapest and easiest itineraries)

Of course I'd prefer nonstop(virgin america or jetblue?), but I'm tempted to use points on Southwest or American..

And there is no easy way to figure out the best route on Southwest!

I might just pick a result on Kayak because it is frustrating.

If anyone has suggestions, I'd prefer SFO or OAK, and on this side DCA or IAD. Ideas, Anyone!???


Interesting flights include SJC and BWI, though. I actually could include RIC too, but I don't see a lot of savings there. It is quite a matrix of decisions when trying to account 7 different airports!!
Ugh.

I think you are too late to score AA's O-fare (their deepest discount fare class). I'm doing another MR this weekend on it--IIRC $175 fare round trip DCA-SFO via DFW; typically AA fares will work in both directions). This fare requires a Saturday night "stay" (just have to be there at midnight--my layover is less than two hours, then red-eye back ;) )

Go to AA.com and plug in the airports, than select search by PRICE, and it will try to come up with something for you. You will have to play around with the dates (and you can try "dates flexible" option).

You can also try http://search.travel.yahoo.com/bin/s...intl=us&oc=bwi and plug in your airport codes, for a more general search where you can see the fare rules for the cheaper fares.

Steve

if lAX
 

I have gotten some pretty cheap DCA-LAX flights through STL or DFW if LAX works for you.

Try DL via CVG or ATL. I recently(memorial day weekend) did SFO-IAD RT on DL for $210 ;)

What's wrong with using Kayak? I have been searching for some last-minute fares recently and American have come up cheapest. Generally, Virgin America IAD-SFO is cheap. Also, in general BWI and OAK are cheaper due to the Southwest effect.

But it's hard to generalize too much -- I fly this route at least once per month on average, usually with a red-eye return, and the results run the gamut. I try to take United whenever possible, and usually IAD-SFO, IAD-LAX-SFO, or BWI-LAX-SFO are competitive. But not this month!