Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Weedpatch, 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–BFL. At 294 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 30m

Distance

294.4 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 12m

31m in the air

Air Distance

262 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFL → Weedpatch, CA 24m

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

Weedpatch, CA BFL — Meadows Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 18m 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

6h 10m

5h 25m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2002

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 325m

Arrival 10m

Bakersfield (McKee Park & Ride) (UBV) → Weedpatch, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To UBV — Bakersfield (McKee Park & Ride) 7 mi, ~10m 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 30m	3h 12m	6h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	15 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

294.4 mi 5h 29m

via I 5, I 580, CA 223

Alternative (+13 min)

299.5 mi 5h 43m

via I 5, US 101, CA 152

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