Flying from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to San Diego: what you need to know
The timezone in San Diego is UTC-7. The city is 8 hours behind Barcelona, where Barcelona-El Prat Airport is located.
Leave enough time to catch your flight from BCN to San Diego. A good rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Be prepared for bigger queues during popular months like July and other peak periods. Arriving up to fours hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for domestic departures is a wise move.
Consider adding a stopover to potentially find a cheaper flight from BCN to San Diego. Simply deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for the departures. Break up the journey at one of these popular airports:
Franz Josef Strauss Airport (MUC)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
If you hold a passport from Spain, you'll need an ETA to enter United States. This applies if you're booking a cheap ticket from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego for tourism purposes. Requirements may be different if you're travelling for work or other reasons. Always consult official visa guidelines before you make travel plans and certainly before flying.
BCN is about 18 kilometres from central Barcelona. If you're catching a cab, driving or ride-sharing from the centre, it'll take you 24 minutes or so to get there, depending on the traffic. If you're taking public transport, expect the travel time to be around 33 minutes.
Catching an early flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego? Avoid rushing to the terminal (and enjoy a little extra shut-eye) by choosing one of these hotels close to BCN:
How to find the cheapest flights from Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) to San Diego
The best price we've found for a one-way ticket from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego is $560. The cheapest price for a return flight is $1,084. Keep in mind fares may change due to availability at the time of booking.
It's usually smart to book ahead of time if you're looking for flight tickets from BCN to San Diego. That's because airlines change prices based on demand, which tends to increase closer to departure.
If you're flexible with your trip dates, make the most of the 'Whole month' search tool. It'll find the lowest price across every month when looking for a ticket from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego.
Set up a Price Alert for flight tickets from BCN to San Diego. There's no need to search every day to see if prices have fallen. We'll notify you as soon as there's a change in price.
Take advantage of the filters to find your ideal trip. To see the 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego, use the 'Sort by' tool. You can also filter results by airline, arrival and departure times, and journey duration.
Airports in San Diego
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is around 5 kilometres from the centre of San Diego. With your own car rental or in a cab, the drive is around 9 minutes.
Getting there by public transport typically takes 20 minutes.
If you're coming in on a late flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego, few things beat the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your suitcases from the carousel and then be showered and resting soon after at one of these hotels near SAN:
McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD)
As soon as your flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego has landed, you can reach the city centre in about 39 minutes by car. Central San Diego is approximately 56 kilometres from McClellan-Palomar Airport (CLD).
The trip will take about 2 hours and 14 minutes on public transport.
Hang up the 'Do not disturb' sign and unwind at a hotel near CLD. Here are a few options where you can take a load off after your flight from BCN to San Diego:
Best time to go to San Diego
It's time to work out your trip dates for your flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego. July is the busiest month for a trip to San Diego. If you want a more relaxed vibe, go in May.
Lock in your flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego for August to visit the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures to range from 17ºC to 28ºC.
Search for cheap flights from BCN to San Diego in February if you like cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest around then, ranging between 7ºC and 23ºC on average.
More about San Diego
When it comes to looking for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the best stays in San Diego right here. Check out these options as soon as you've locked in your flight from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego:
There are so many things to discover in this city it can be difficult to know where to start. San Diego Zoo, USS Midway Museum and SeaWorld San Diego are top attractions which should feature on any well-planned San Diego itinerary.
Complete your San Diego trip with a car rental
Pick one of our car rentals in San Diego and explore the city at your leisure. Easily compare companies in one place to find your perfect ride once you've locked in your hotel and cheap flights from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to San Diego.