Drive or Fly: Marina del Rey, CA to San Francisco, 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 LAX–SFO. At 384 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 13m

Distance

384.9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

155 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$85

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 8m

41m in the air

Air Distance

344 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

88 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marina del Rey, CA → LAX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SFO → San Francisco, CA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Marina del Rey, CA LAX — Los Angeles International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAX and SFO. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 5m 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

8h 10m

7h 25m on road

Total Cost

$37

CO2

20 kg

Route

FlixBus N2002

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marina del Rey, CA → Los Angeles (UCLA) (UCL) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 445m

Arrival 10m

San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) → San Francisco, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From UCL — Los Angeles (UCLA) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m 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	7h 13m	3h 8m	8h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$120	$189	$37
Carbon footprint	155 kg CO₂	88 kg CO₂	20 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

384.9 mi 7h 12m

via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+69 min)

419.8 mi 8h 22m

via US 101, CA 154, I 405

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Marina del Rey, CA to San Francisco, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.