San Diego from Austin, 23 – 25 Oct: £858 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Fare is $430 per person, $22 below the typical fare
- Clear forecast all weekend, highs 74–87°F, rain chance 14% or less
- Private double downtown, rated 8.6 from 1,561 reviews, free cancellation
The catch: The flight has one stop on Frontier, takes 5h 35m and lands at 11:56 PM Friday, and a checked bag is about $240 for two.
Worth it if you want a sunny, walkable weekend for two on a sensible budget; skip it if a late one-stop arrival or a hostel room is a dealbreaker.
Worth it if a one-stop flight works for you: $1,138 for two, all in, covers the Frontier fare at $860 plus HI San Diego Downtown Hostel at $248 and its $30 fee at the property, with taxes and fees included. That's 2 nights, Oct 23–25, 2026, on Frontier with one stop and 5h 35m of travel from Austin. A checked bag and spending money are not in the total.
The total, before you go
£858 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £648 |
| HI San Diego Downtown Hostel, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £187 |
| Resort fee, collected at the desk | £23 |
| The total, before you go | £858 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £181 |
£17 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £45 each way per bag on Frontier, £181 for two return); the resort fee is counted above. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£324 per person, return
£648 for two, taxes and fees included · Frontier · 1 stop · 5h 35m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 8:21 PM – Fri, Oct 23, 11:56 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | £324 | 1 stop | 5h 35m |
| Alaska. Operated by SkyWest Airlines as Alaska SkyWest | £482 | nonstop | 3h 19m |
| Alaska | £423 | 1 stop | 8h 40m |
Prices checked 15 Oct 2026, 01:28 GMT-5. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Why now
At $430 per person, the Frontier fare is $22 below the typical fare on this route, about 5% under the $452 median of our 16 earlier checks. With the hotel, taxes and fees in, the whole weekend comes to $1,138 for two. A checked bag, about $240 for two, and spending money come on top. The forecast is the other reason: clear all three days, with highs of 74°F Friday, 83°F Saturday and 87°F Sunday and rain chances between 9% and 14%. That's beach weather for Coronado or Sunset Cliffs. The flight lands late Friday, so Saturday is your one full day. Save it for the zoo or the La Jolla sea caves, then keep Sunday for the coast. These prices were all-in when we checked, and they can change.
The kind of trip this is
This is a quick beach-and-city weekend: sun, fish tacos, the zoo or a museum, and a sunset over the cliffs. It suits a couple or two friends who travel light, don't mind a private room in a hostel and like walking around downtown. The pace is brisk, since Saturday is the one full day, and Sunday goes to the coast before the trip home.
Weather in San Diego, 23 – 25 Oct
Highs 74–87°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | 74 °F | 65 °F | 14% |
| Sat 24 Oct | 83 °F | 69 °F | 13% |
| Sun 25 Oct | 87 °F | 70 °F | 9% |
Where to stay in San Diego
The hotel in the total is HI San Diego Downtown Hostel: a Private Double Room for $248 for the stay ($124 a night), rated 8.6 from 1,561 reviews, plus a $30 fee paid at the property. It's the highest-rated of the three. It sits in the Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown area, where you can walk to the nightlife, Petco Park and the waterfront. Heritage Inn San Diego, on Midway-Pacific Highway, is $291 for the stay ($146 a night) for a Standard Queen Room, rated 6.4 from 1,317 reviews, with a $38 fee at the property. EZ 8 Motel Old Town is $371 for the stay ($186 a night) for a Queen Room with Garden View, rated 5.7 from 1,853 reviews, with a $48 fee at the property. All three are room only and offer free cancellation.
HI San Diego Downtown Hostel
£187 for 2 nights, two guests · £93 a night
See roomsHeritage Inn San Diego
£219 for 2 nights, two guests · £110 a night
See roomsEZ 8 Motel Old Town
£280 for 2 nights, two guests · £140 a night
See roomsAll hotels in San Diego for these dates
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Where in San Diego
- Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown: Nightlife, Petco Park and the waterfront on foot.
- La Jolla: Coves, sea lions and upscale village hotels.
- Coronado: Wide beach and the landmark Hotel del Coronado.
- Mission Beach / Pacific Beach: Boardwalk, surf and a young bar scene.
- Mission Valley: Chain hotels with easy freeway access to the zoo and parks.
What to do in San Diego
- Spend Saturday at the San Diego Zoo and the Balboa Park museums
- Kayak the sea caves at La Jolla, then stay for the sea lions
- Swim at Coronado Beach beside the Hotel del Coronado
- Tour the USS Midway aircraft carrier on the downtown waterfront
- Eat fish tacos and drink craft beer in North Park
- Watch the sunset at Sunset Cliffs
Also worth it
- Visit the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park museums
Tours and tickets in San Diego
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Austin | Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS) |
|---|---|
| Airports in San Diego | San Diego International (SAN) |
| Flight time | 5h 35m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 1,155 miles each way |
| Time difference | -2 hours |
What 2 nights in San Diego costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £648 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (HI San Diego Downtown Hostel) | £187 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,227 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Austin to San Diego
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £324 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £240 (15 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £341 |
| Price checks | 16 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for San Diego.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- No passport needed, and the currency is the US dollar.
- San Diego is 2 hours behind Austin.
- The outbound Frontier flight leaves Austin-Bergstrom at 8:21 PM and reaches San Diego International at 11:56 PM, with one stop.
- The fare doesn't include a checked bag, which is about $240 for two.
- All three hotels are room only and offer free cancellation.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Worth it if a one-stop flight and a hostel private room suit you. The fare is $430 per person, $22 below the typical fare on this route. The forecast is clear with highs of 74–87°F, and the room is rated 8.6.
How much is the whole trip for two?
It's $1,138 for two, all in: $860 in flights, $248 for 2 nights at HI San Diego Downtown Hostel and its $30 fee at the property. A checked bag, about $240 for two, and spending money are extra.
Is there a nonstop?
Yes. Alaska, operated by SkyWest, has a 6:00 AM nonstop that takes 3h 19m, at $639 per person, or $1,278 for two. The Frontier flight in our total has one stop and takes 5h 35m.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, so a passport isn't needed and you pay in US dollars.
What is the weather like?
The forecast is clear all three days, with highs of 74°F on Friday, 83°F on Saturday and 87°F on Sunday. Rain chances are between 9% and 14%.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's enough for a long weekend if you plan ahead. The flight lands at 11:56 PM Friday, so give Saturday to the zoo or La Jolla and spend Sunday at Coronado or Sunset Cliffs.
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
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