Drive or Fly: San Dimas, 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
MediumDriving is significantly cheaper and the distance is manageable in one day.
Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)
· · Fuel cost: $
Drive
Door to Door
7h 30m
Distance
403.6 mi
Total Cost
$111
CO2
163 kg
Cost Breakdown
Fly
Door to Door
3h 18m
43m in the air
Air Distance
362 mi
Total Cost
$189
CO2
92 kg
Door-to-Door Timeline
Cost Breakdown
Airports
Flight Data
Service
Connecting only
On-Time
98.1%
Cancellation
1.9%
At a Glance
| Drive | Fly | |
|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door time | 7h 30m | 3h 18m |
| Total cost (1 person) | $111 | $189 |
| Carbon footprint | 163 kg CO2 | 92 kg CO2 |
| Flexibility | High | Low |
| Luggage | Unlimited | Restricted |
| Reliability | Weather dependent | 98% on-time |
Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Jul 21, 2026.
Route Options
2 different routes between these cities.
via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck
via US 101, I 5, CA 46
Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Dimas, CA to San Francisco, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.