Drive or Fly: San Diego, CA to Los Banos, 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–MCE. At 385 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 20m

Distance

385.6 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

156 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$85

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 30m

44m in the air

Air Distance

366 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

93 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Diego, CA → SAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 44m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCE → Los Banos, CA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Los Banos, CA MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 50m 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	7h 20m	3h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$120	$190
Carbon footprint	156 kg CO₂	93 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.

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