Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Vandenberg Village, CA?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SFO–SMX. At 286 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 36m

Distance

286.2 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 6m

29m in the air

Air Distance

238 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMX → Vandenberg Village, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Vandenberg Village, CA SMX — Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFO and SMX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 30m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 55m

4h 30m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 270m

Arrival 10m

San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum (ULO) → Vandenberg Village, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ULO — San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 36m	3h 6m	5h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$185	$22
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

286.2 mi 5h 35m

via US 101; CA 156, US 101, CA 1

Alternative (+57 min)

302.2 mi 6h 33m

via CA 1, US 101, CA 17

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