Drive or Fly: Brentwood, CA to Chula Vista, 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 CCR–SAN. At 471 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 1m

Distance

471.6 mi

Total Cost

$139

CO2

191 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$104

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 37m

54m in the air

Air Distance

449 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

114 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brentwood, CA → CCR 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 54m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → Chula Vista, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Brentwood, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 20 mi, ~30m drive

Chula Vista, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and SAN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 24m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	9h 1m	3h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$139	$193
Carbon footprint	191 kg CO₂	114 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

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

471.6 mi 9h 0m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, I 805

Alternative (+102 min)

542.6 mi 10h 42m

via I 5, US 101; CA 156, I 5 Truck

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