Drive or Fly: San Bernardino, CA to Santa Barbara, CA?
Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.
Driving wins
MediumNo scheduled commercial flights found for SBD–SBA. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.
Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)
· · Fuel cost: $
Drive
Door to Door
2h 58m
Distance
150.2 mi
Total Cost
$68
CO2
61 kg
Cost Breakdown
Fly
Door to Door
2h 39m
17m in the air
Air Distance
139 mi
Total Cost
$126
CO2
35 kg
Door-to-Door Timeline
Cost Breakdown
Airports
No scheduled flights found
No commercial flights between SBD and SBA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.
At a Glance
| Drive | Fly | |
|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door time | 2h 58m | 2h 39m |
| Total cost (1 person) | $68 | $126 |
| Carbon footprint | 61 kg CO2 | 35 kg CO2 |
| Flexibility | High | Low |
| Luggage | Unlimited | Restricted |
| Reliability | Weather dependent | Data unavailable |
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.
via CA 134, CA 210, US 101
via CA 134, US 101, I 10
Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Bernardino, CA to Santa Barbara, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.