Drive or Fly: Oakland, CA to Saticoy, 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–SBA. At 369 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 56m

Distance

369.9 mi

Total Cost

$117

CO2

149 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$82

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 47m

36m in the air

Air Distance

299 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → OAK 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBA → Saticoy, CA 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Saticoy, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OAK and SBA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 9m compared to driving

+ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

11h 11m

10h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$61

CO2

18 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → Oakland 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 611m

Arrival 10m

Oxnard → Saticoy, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $61) $61

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

Stations

From Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Oxnard 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 23m

7h on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2005

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 420m

Arrival 10m

Santa Barbara Bus Stop (SBR6) → Saticoy, CA 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SBR6 — Santa Barbara Bus Stop 32 mi, ~48m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 56m	3h 47m	11h 11m	8h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$117	$187	$61	$30
Carbon footprint	149 kg CO₂	76 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	16 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, 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

369.9 mi 6h 56m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, I 580

Shortest (+4 min)

354 mi 7h 0m

via US 101, US 101; CA 156, I 880

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