Drive or Fly: Compton, CA to San Diego, 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 LGB–SAN. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 16m

Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 32m

12m in the air

Air Distance

102 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Compton, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Compton, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and SAN. 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

4h 3m

2h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Compton, CA → Los Angeles 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 176m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 11 mi, ~17m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~40/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2017

Door-to-Door Timeline

Compton, CA → Huntington Park (UHP) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) (USP) → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From UHP — Huntington Park 5 mi, ~10m drive

To USP — San Diego (Downtown/Seaport Village) 0 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 16m	2h 32m	4h 3m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$22	$12
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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, 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 13, 2026.

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