Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Mira Monte, 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–SBA. At 123 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 39m

Distance

123.7 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 5m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBA → Mira Monte, CA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Mira Monte, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 32 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and SBA. 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 43m

2h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 157m

Arrival 10m

Ventura Amtrak → Mira Monte, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Ventura Amtrak 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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	2h 39m	3h 5m	3h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$123	$16
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	17 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

123.7 mi 2h 38m

via CA 99, CA 126, CA 150

Shortest (+2 min)

114.1 mi 2h 40m

via CA 33, CA 119, CA 33; CA 166

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