Drive or Fly: Newman, CA to Stockton, 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 MCE–SCK. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

55.8 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 58m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newman, CA → MCE 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCK → Stockton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Newman, CA MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field 28 mi, ~42m drive

Stockton, CA SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCE and SCK. 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

1h 59m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Newman, CA → Turlock (Sinclair) (TRK6) 24m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Stockton (Central de Autobuses) (SKN6) → Stockton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From TRK6 — Turlock (Sinclair) 16 mi, ~24m drive

To SKN6 — Stockton (Central de Autobuses) 1 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	1h 5m	2h 58m	1h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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

55.8 mi 1h 5m

via I 5, J18

Shortest (+8 min)

55.2 mi 1h 13m

via CA 99, South Carpenter Road, CA 33

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