Drive or Fly: South Pasadena, CA to Santa Ana, 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 BUR–SNA. At 34 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

34.3 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 34m

4m in the air

Air Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Pasadena, CA → BUR 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Santa Ana, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

South Pasadena, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Santa Ana, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SNA. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 40m

1h 55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2006

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Pasadena, CA → Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) (ULA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Santa Ana Bus Stop (SAN6) → Santa Ana, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From ULA — Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To SAN6 — Santa Ana Bus Stop 1 mi, ~10m 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	45m	2h 34m	2h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from South Pasadena, CA to Santa Ana, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.