Drive or Fly: Patterson, 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 SCK–SAN. At 428 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 5m

Distance

428.6 mi

Total Cost

$130

CO2

173 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$95

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 47m

49m in the air

Air Distance

405 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

103 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Patterson, CA → SCK 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 49m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → Chula Vista, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Patterson, CA SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCK and SAN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 18m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	8h 5m	3h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$130	$191
Carbon footprint	173 kg CO₂	103 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

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

428.6 mi 8h 5m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, I 805

Alternative (+24 min)

441.5 mi 8h 29m

via CA 99, I 5, I 5 Truck

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