Drive or Fly: Fresno, CA to Poway, 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 FAT–CLD. At 335 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 27m

Distance

335.1 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

135 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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

3h 13m

36m in the air

Air Distance

304 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

78 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fresno, CA → FAT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLD → Poway, CA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fresno, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Poway, CA CLD — McClellan-Palomar Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 14m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 5m

8h 40m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fresno, CA → Fresno Bus Station (FRS6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 520m

Arrival 10m

San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) (UCS) → Poway, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From FRS6 — Fresno Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To UCS — San Diego (La Jolla - UC San Diego) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 27m	3h 13m	10h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$187	$33
Carbon footprint	135 kg CO₂	78 kg CO₂	19 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: 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

335.1 mi 6h 26m

via CA 99, I 5, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+20 min)

345.5 mi 6h 47m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, CA 41

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