Drive or Fly: Clearlake, 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

11h 14m

Distance

580.7 mi

Total Cost

$290

CO2

235 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$110

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 2m

1h 3m in the air

Air Distance

529 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

135 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clearlake, CA → STS 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 63m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Clearlake, CA STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 7h 12m 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	11h 14m	4h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$290	$196
Carbon footprint	235 kg CO₂	135 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% 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 Jul 20, 2026.

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