Drive or Fly: Oak Park, CA to Chula Vista, 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 BUR–SAN. At 167 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 20m

Distance

167.1 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 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

Oak Park, CA → BUR 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → Chula Vista, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR 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

5h 32m

4h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park, CA → Simi Valley Amtrak 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 270m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → Chula Vista, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Simi Valley Amtrak 7 mi, ~11m drive

To San Diego 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 20m	3h 5m	5h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$28
Carbon footprint	68 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

167.1 mi 3h 19m

via I 5, I 405, I 805

Shortest (+2 min)

164.8 mi 3h 22m

via I 5, US 101, I 805

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