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Drive or Fly: Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA to San Diego, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 43m

Distance

445 mi

Total Cost

$143

CO2

180 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$108
Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0
Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35
+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines
+ Comfortable one-day drive
+ Stop anywhere along the route
+ Have your own car at the destination
+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 5m

45m in the air

Air Distance

379 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

97 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA → MRY 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 45m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA MRY — Monterey Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive
San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

93.6%

Cancellation

6.5%

+ Saves about 5h 38m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
− Airport security and check-in overhead
− May need a rental car at destination
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 8h 43m 3h 5m
Total cost (1 person) $143 $190
Carbon footprint 180 kg CO2 97 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 94% on-time
Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices
Flight data: Statistical estimate
Airports: OurAirports
Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Oct 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
445 mi 8h 43m

via I 5, US 101, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+16 min)
465.2 mi 8h 59m

via US 101, I 15, CA 46

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA to San Diego, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.