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Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Coronado, 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 38m

Distance

507.4 mi

Total Cost

$142

CO2

205 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$107
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 22m

55m in the air

Air Distance

459 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

117 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 55m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SAN → Coronado, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive
Coronado, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

99.1%

Cancellation

0.9%

+ Saves about 6h 16m 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 38m 3h 22m
Total cost (1 person) $142 $193
Carbon footprint 205 kg CO2 117 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 99% 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 Francisco, CA to Coronado, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.