Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Modesto, 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 SFO–SCK. At 91 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 52m

Distance

91.7 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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

2h 59m

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCK → Modesto, CA 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Modesto, CA SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 52m	2h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	20 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 12, 2026.

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