Gas money looks cheap until you count wear and tear. A ticket price looks cheap until you count baggage, parking, and three hours at the airport. See the real door-to-door cost and time for 19 popular US routes.
Rough estimate: annual salary ÷ 2,000 working hours. Set to $0 to compare pure out-of-pocket cost only.
Driving cost uses the 2026 IRS standard mileage rate ($0.67/mi) plus tolls. Flight cost is a typical one-way fare plus a $35 baggage fee and $45 airport transfer/parking — fares vary with season and booking window.
Time on the road
4.5h
270 miles
Cost (IRS $0.67/mi)
$181
no significant tolls
+ time value
$181 total
I-15 — brutal on Friday/Sunday traffic, otherwise straightforward desert driving.
Door-to-door time
4.7h
incl. 3.5h airport overhead
Real cost
$170
fare $90 + bag $35 + transfer $45
+ time value
$176 total
One of the busiest short-haul routes in the US — fares swing hard with demand.
Flying saves ~$5 once your time is priced at $30/hour, including all fees and overhead above.
| Route | Drive | Fly (real) | Drive $ | Fly $ (w/ fees) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY → Boston, MA | 3.6h | 4.9h | $159 | $200 | 🚗 |
| New York, NY → Washington, DC | 3.8h | 4.8h | $176 | $190 | 🚗 |
| Los Angeles, CA → Las Vegas, NV | 4.5h | 4.7h | $181 | $170 | ⚖️ |
| Los Angeles, CA → San Francisco, CA | 6.3h | 4.9h | $255 | $180 | ✈️ |
| Los Angeles, CA → San Diego, CA | 2.0h | 4.5h | $80 | $210 | 🚗 |
| Chicago, IL → Detroit, MI | 4.7h | 4.7h | $200 | $190 | ⚖️ |
Travel essentials
Renting a car for the drive, or want to know what a delayed flight owes you? Two partners worth checking.
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Read the full breakdown: Is It Cheaper to Fly or Drive? The Real 2026 Cost Breakdown