Drive or Fly: Fresno, CA to Mariposa, 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 FAT–MCE. At 71 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 42m

Distance

71.9 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 6m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fresno, CA → FAT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCE → Mariposa, CA 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Fresno, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Mariposa, CA MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAT and MCE. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 27m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fresno, CA → Fresno Bus Station (FRS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Merced Bus Stop (MCD6) → Mariposa, CA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From FRS6 — Fresno Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To MCD6 — Merced Bus Stop 31 mi, ~47m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 42m	3h 6m	2h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 18, 2026.

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