Drive or Fly: San Jose, CA to Lost Hills, 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 SJC–BFL. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 48m

Distance

200.1 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 27m

20m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → SJC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFL → Lost Hills, CA 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Jose, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Lost Hills, CA BFL — Meadows Field 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SJC and BFL. 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

− 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	3h 48m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	44 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

200.1 mi 3h 47m

via I 5, CA 152, US 101

Alternative (+27 min)

218 mi 4h 15m

via US 101; CA 156, CA 46, US 101

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