Drive or Fly: Universal City, CA to San Jose, 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 BUR–SJC. At 330 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 16m

Distance

330.9 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

134 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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

2h 56m

36m in the air

Air Distance

297 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Universal City, CA → BUR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SJC → San Jose, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Universal City, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

San Jose, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SJC. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 20m 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

7h 10m

6h 25m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

Greyhound US0800

Door-to-Door Timeline

Universal City, CA → Los Angeles (Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood) (0NH) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 385m

Arrival 10m

San Jose Diridon Station (SJO6) → San Jose, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From 0NH — Los Angeles (Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SJO6 — San Jose Diridon Station 1 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	6h 16m	2h 56m	7h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$187	$32
Carbon footprint	134 kg CO₂	76 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 26, 2026.

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