Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Valencia, 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–BUR. At 344 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 23m

Distance

344.8 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

139 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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 28m

38m in the air

Air Distance

313 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

80 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 38m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUR → Valencia, CA 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Valencia, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 55m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 51m

7h 55m on road

Total Cost

$36

CO2

19 kg

Route

FlixBus 2005

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 475m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) (0RN) → Valencia, CA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 0RN — Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 23m	3h 28m	8h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$188	$36
Carbon footprint	139 kg CO₂	80 kg CO₂	19 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

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

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 Francisco, CA to Valencia, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.