Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Home Gardens, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Driving is significantly cheaper and the distance is manageable in one day.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 3m

Distance

429.4 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

173 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$90

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 23m

46m in the air

Air Distance

384 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

98 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 46m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ONT → Home Gardens, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Home Gardens, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 4h 40m 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	8h 3m	3h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$125	$190
Carbon footprint	173 kg CO₂	98 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 4, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

429.4 mi 8h 3m

via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+13 min)

434.5 mi 8h 17m

via I 5, US 101, I 5 Truck

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