Drive or Fly: Santa Rosa, CA to San Diego, 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 STS–SAN. At 548 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

10h 23m

Distance

548.6 mi

Total Cost

$302

CO2

222 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$122

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 21m

1h in the air

Air Distance

503 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

128 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Rosa, CA → STS 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 60m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $140) $140

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Santa Rosa, CA STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 7h 2m 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	10h 23m	3h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$302	$195
Carbon footprint	222 kg CO₂	128 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 13, 2026.

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