Drive or Fly: Union City, 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 SQL–SAN. At 483 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

9h 10m

Distance

483.3 mi

Total Cost

$142

CO2

195 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$107

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 18m

52m in the air

Air Distance

437 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

111 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, CA → SQL 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 52m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Union City, CA SQL — San Carlos Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 52m 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	9h 10m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$142	$192
Carbon footprint	195 kg CO₂	111 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 12, 2026.

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