Drive or Fly: Chula Vista, CA to Oak Park, 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 SAN–BUR. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 20m

Distance

166.9 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → SAN 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUR → Oak Park, CA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Oak Park, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAN and BUR. 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

5h 11m

4h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → San Diego 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 249m

Arrival 10m

Simi Valley Amtrak → Oak Park, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From San Diego 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Simi Valley Amtrak 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 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	3h 20m	3h 5m	5h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$28
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

166.9 mi 3h 19m

via I 5, I 405, I 805

Shortest (+0 min)

166 mi 3h 20m

via I 5, CA 134, I 805

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