Drive or Fly: Del Mar, CA to San Diego, CA?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for CLD–SAN. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

27m

Distance

19.8 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 30m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Del Mar, CA → CLD 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Del Mar, CA CLD — McClellan-Palomar Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLD and SAN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 25m

25m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Del Mar, CA → Solana Beach Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 25m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Solana Beach Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 8m

23m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2017

Door-to-Door Timeline

Del Mar, CA → San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) (UCS) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 23m

Arrival 10m

San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) (USP) → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From UCS — San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To USP — San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	27m	2h 30m	1h 25m	1h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

19.8 mi 27m

via I 5

Alternative (+0 min)

20.4 mi 27m

via I 805, CA 163

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