Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Avenal, 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 BFL–FAT. At 90 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 47m

Distance

90.7 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 46m

9m in the air

Air Distance

76 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAT → Avenal, CA 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Bakersfield, CA BFL — Meadows Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Avenal, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 58 mi, ~87m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 17m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Hanford → Avenal, CA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Hanford 35 mi, ~52m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 47m	3h 46m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$15
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	4 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: Amtrak 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 12, 2026.

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