Drive or Fly: Thousand Oaks, CA to Chula Vista, 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–SAN. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 41m

Distance

170.1 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 12m

18m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thousand Oaks, CA → BUR 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → Chula Vista, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Thousand Oaks, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

Chula Vista, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SAN. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 23m

4h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

10 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thousand Oaks, CA → Moorpark Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 283m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → Chula Vista, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Moorpark Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 41m	3h 12m	6h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$29
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	10 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: Amtrak 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Thousand Oaks, CA to Chula Vista, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.