Drive or Fly: King City, CA to Irvine, 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 MRY–SNA. At 297 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 45m

Distance

297.4 mi

Total Cost

$101

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$66

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 52m

31m in the air

Air Distance

257 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

King City, CA → MRY 71m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Irvine, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

King City, CA MRY — Monterey Regional Airport 48 mi, ~71m drive

Irvine, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MRY and SNA. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 3m

6h 15m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0831

Door-to-Door Timeline

King City, CA → Coalinga (Valero Gas Station) (CLJ6) 73m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 375m

Arrival 10m

Santa Ana Bus Stop (SAN6) → Irvine, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From CLJ6 — Coalinga (Valero Gas Station) 49 mi, ~73m drive

To SAN6 — Santa Ana Bus Stop 6 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 45m	3h 52m	8h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$101	$185	$24
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	13 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

297.4 mi 5h 44m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, CA 46

Alternative (+24 min)

309.4 mi 6h 8m

via US 101, I 405, CA 154

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