Drive or Fly: Oakland, CA to Avenal, 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 OAK–FAT. At 192 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

192.3 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 58m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → OAK 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAT → Avenal, CA 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Avenal, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 58 mi, ~87m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OAK and FAT. 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

5h 20m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Coalinga (Valero Gas Station) (CLJ6) → Avenal, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CLJ6 — Coalinga (Valero Gas Station) 0 mi, ~30m 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	3h 35m	3h 58m	5h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$17
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	11 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 12, 2026.

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