Drive or Fly: San Diego, CA to Bonny Doon, 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 SAN–SJC. At 477 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 19m

Distance

477.3 mi

Total Cost

$140

CO2

193 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$105

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 37m

49m in the air

Air Distance

411 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

105 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Diego, CA → SAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 49m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SJC → Bonny Doon, CA 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Bonny Doon, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 42m 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	9h 19m	3h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$140	$191
Carbon footprint	193 kg CO₂	105 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Diego, CA to Bonny Doon, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.