Drive or Fly: Universal City, CA to Bakersfield, 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–BFL. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

102.3 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 31m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Universal City, CA → BUR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFL → Bakersfield, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Universal City, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Bakersfield, CA BFL — Meadows Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 50m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Universal City, CA → Los Angeles (Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood) (0NH) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Bakersfield Train Station (BKF6) → Bakersfield, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 0NH — Los Angeles (Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To BKF6 — Bakersfield Train Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 1m	2h 31m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$10
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

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