Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Phelan, 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

7h 51m

Distance

405.9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

164 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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 38m

43m in the air

Air Distance

356 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

91 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 43m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ONT → Phelan, CA 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Phelan, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 4h 13m 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	7h 51m	3h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$120	$189
Carbon footprint	164 kg CO₂	91 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

405.9 mi 7h 50m

via I 5, I 580, CA 138

Alternative (+48 min)

433.3 mi 8h 38m

via US 101; CA 156, US 101, CA 46

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