Drive or Fly: San Diego, CA to Davis, 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

9h 39m

Distance

516 mi

Total Cost

$144

CO2

208 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$109

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 27m

57m in the air

Air Distance

478 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

122 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Diego, CA → SAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Davis, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Davis, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 6h 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	9h 39m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$144	$194
Carbon footprint	208 kg CO₂	122 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 Jun 3, 2026.

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